Documentation Guidelines

The following general guidelines may be used to assist in determining qualifying documentation. All documentation will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

• Completed by A Qualified Professional:
  • Documentation should be provided by a licensed or otherwise properly credentialed professional who has undergone appropriate and comprehensive training, has relevant experience, and has no personal relationship with the individual being evaluated. Documentation completed by a family member, even when otherwise qualified, is not appropriate and will not be accepted. A good match between the credentials of the individual making the diagnosis and the reported condition is expected (e.g., an orthopedic limitation might be documented by a physician but not a licensed psychologist). The name, title, and professional credentials of the evaluator should be included on letterhead, typed in English, dated, and signed. Information about licensure or certification, including the area of specialization, employment, and the state in which the individual practices, should also be clearly stated.
• Include A Clear Statement of the Diagnosis:
  • Documentation includes a clear diagnostic statement that describes what the condition is along with present symptoms that meet the criteria for diagnosis. Please note that a diagnosis does not automatically warrant approval of requested accommodations.
• Describe Current Functional Limitations:
  • Documentation should reflect current functional limitations experienced due to the diagnosed condition. Information on how the condition(s) currently impacts the individual provides useful information for both establishing a disability and identifying possible accommodations. Documentation should be thorough enough to demonstrate whether and how a major life activity is substantially limited by providing a clear sense of the severity, frequency, and pervasiveness of the condition(s). Documentation should address the impact to the student’s ability to function in the academic environment (e.g., classroom lectures and discussions, lab, or test-taking). Although a history of accommodations is considered, without demonstration of current need, it may not by itself warrant the provision of similar accommodations. If  there is no evidence of educational limitations as a result of the diagnosed condition, Accessibility Services may not be able to determine specific reasonable accommodations.
• Recommendations for Accommodations:
  • The documentation should contain recommendations for accommodations as appropriate. A request for accommodation should be accompanied with a clear rationale for its necessity. Documentation should establish a clear link between the requested accommodation and the functional limitation it seeks to alleviate. While recommendations from professionals with a history of working with the student provide valuable information, recommendations that would fundamentally alter essential requirements may not be reasonable.

Important Notes:

• If the documentation submitted does not support a current need for accommodations and/or is out of date, the student will be notified that they should submit updated documentation.
• If you are asked to submit updated documentation, it will be processed when it is received. Failure to provide updated documentation in a timely manner can limit or delay your access to accommodations. Updated documentation should conform to the same elements required for your original documentation; a simple letter confirming ongoing treatment is not sufficient.
• During the academic year, all submitted materials may take up to 15 business days (excluding campus closures and holidays) to be reviewed. Once reviewed, students will be notify of the next steps in the registration process. Prior to submitting an application, please CLICK HERE to learn more about the accommodations process and important deadlines.

There are many different types of learning disabilities. Your documentation must provide clear and specific evidence and identification of a learning disability. General terms such as learning difficulties or learning differences are not equivalent to a diagnosis of a disability. It is preferred that a DSM-V diagnosis and code be included. Generally, documentation for a learning disability and/or ADD/ADHD should include the following:

• The length of time the diagnostician has treated you and the date of the most recent contact.
• A diagnosis.
• A summary of assessment procedures and evaluation instruments used to make the diagnosis.
• The results of the evaluation instruments used. Generally, the following tests are recommended: a full, adult-normed aptitude test, an information processing test, and an achievement test assessing current functioning in reading, math, and written language.
• A description of the expected progression or stability of the disability.
• A description of current and past accommodations, services and/or medications.

• Documentation should reflect current functional limitations experienced due to the diagnosed condition. Information on how the condition(s) currently impacts the individual provides useful information for both establishing a disability and identifying possible accommodations. Documentation should be thorough enough to demonstrate whether and how a major life activity is substantially limited by providing a clear sense of the severity, frequency, and pervasiveness of the condition(s). Documentation should address the impact to the student’s ability to function in the academic environment (e.g., classroom lectures and discussions, lab, or test-taking). Although a history of accommodations is considered, without demonstration of current need, it may not by itself warrant the provision of similar accommodations. If  there is no evidence of educational limitations as a result of the diagnosed condition, Accessibility Services may not be able to determine specific reasonable accommodations.

• The documentation should contain recommendations for accommodations as appropriate. A request for accommodation should be accompanied with a clear rationale for its necessity. Documentation should establish a clear link between the requested accommodation and the functional limitation it seeks to alleviate. While recommendations from professionals with a history of working with the student provide valuable information, recommendations that would fundamentally alter essential requirements may not be reasonable.
• Be current (Testing and evaluation should have been conducted within the past five years for learning disabilities and ADHD or ADD and within the last 6 months to a year for physical and mental health-related disabilities). In some cases, documentation may be accepted beyond five years if the student has been evaluated as an adult. If the most recent evaluation occurred more than five years ago, please feel free to submit the documentation and we will review it to determine if we can use it to determine eligibility for accommodations. If the documentation submitted does not support a current need for accommodations and/or is out of date, the student will be promptly notified that they should receive new documentation and move through the rest of the request process.

• The length of time the diagnostician has treated you and the date of the most recent contact.
• A clear diagnostic statement describing the disability.
• A description of the diagnostic methodology used, including a description of the diagnostic criteria, evaluation methods, procedures, tests and dates of administration, as well as a clinical narrative, observation, and specific results.
• A description of the current functional limitations resulting from the disability.
• A description of the expected progression or stability of the disability.
• A description of current and past accommodations, services and/or medications.
• Documentation should reflect current functional limitations experienced due to the diagnosed condition. Information on how the condition(s) currently impacts the individual provides useful information for both establishing a disability and identifying possible accommodations. Documentation should be thorough enough to demonstrate whether and how a major life activity is substantially limited by providing a clear sense of the severity, frequency, and pervasiveness of the condition(s). Documentation should address the impact to the student’s ability to function in the academic environment (e.g., classroom lectures and discussions, lab, or test-taking). Although a history of accommodations is considered, without demonstration of current need, it may not by itself warrant the provision of similar accommodations. If there is no evidence of educational limitations as a result of the diagnosed condition, Accessibility Services may not be able to determine specific reasonable accommodations.

• The documentation should contain recommendations for accommodations as appropriate. A request for accommodation should be accompanied with a clear rationale for its necessity. Documentation should establish a clear link between the requested accommodation and the functional limitation it seeks to alleviate. While recommendations from professionals with a history of working with the student provide valuable information, recommendations that would fundamentally alter essential requirements may not be reasonable.