Disability Services

Documentation Requirements

All disabilities that affect learning and/or require a physical alteration will require documentation that verifies the disability, clarifies the areas of learning affected and state the accommodations recommended as appropriate.

The purpose of the documentation is twofold: to help the Special Populations Disability Services Coordinator determine if the student is a "qualified individual with a disability" therefore eligible for accommodations, and to determine appropriate accommodations. Documentation legitimizes a student’s request for accommodations and in general includes the following:

• Identification of the nature and extent of the disability
• Specific information on the functional limitations as related to the academic environment
• Description of the current course of treatment including medical side effects
• Prognosis for the disability
• Recommended reasonable accommodations

The documentation should be prepared by a professional. It should be in the form of an assessment rather than a statement. The documentation should be dated within the last five years; however the five year rule may be waived for students with disabilities that are considered to be stable.