Documentation

Students who require consideration for protection under the law and/or accommodation on the basis of disability must provide comprehensive, written documentation of the disability, on professional letterhead. Documentation must be current or recent enough to determine the impact of the disability on the student's functioning in the higher education environment. A high school Individual Educational Plan (IEP) or 504 Plan alone does not constitute appropriate documentation. An IEP or a 504 Plan is seldom sufficient documentation to establish rationale for an accommodation in the post-secondary setting.

• Diagnostic Statement: For a clear statement of diagnosis, the disability must be identified using the diagnostic classifications of such entities as the Department of Education, State Department of Rehabilitation Services, the World Health Organization's International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems (ICD) and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association (DSM-5). The date of initial diagnosis and the date of the current evaluation must be included. Documentation must be current, generally within three years. The diagnostic evaluation must establish the student as a member of the protected under the definition of disability and confirm that there is a substantial limitation to one or more major life activities.
• Diagnostic Criteria: Specific results and/or scores should be included for all diagnostic procedures and tests, as appropriate, along with a summary of the diagnostic interview, testing, and findings. A diagnostic report for any Neurodevelopmental Disability should include a review and discussion of the DSM-5 criteria both currently and retrospectively and discuss what symptoms are present. If grade equivalents are reported, they must be accompanied by standard scores and/or percentiles. Adult Scale Test scores or subtest scales should not be used as the sole measure for the diagnostic profile. Minimally, domains to be addressed should include but are not limited to Psychological and Educational. A comprehensive diagnosis of disability for a Specific Learning Disorder should include measures for aptitude, achievement, and information processing. Additionally, current levels of functioning in the areas of reading, mathematics, and written language are required. Examples of test batteries recognized and commonly employed in diagnostic reports include: Wechsler Adult, Woodcock-Johnson and Stanford-Binet. Note: test examples are offered as a resource and are not exhaustive.
• The current functional impact of the disability should be identified: This part of the evaluation should address the usual progression of the disability, its effects on the student's development along the lifespan, the impact, if any, of significant events on functioning since the original diagnosis, and the applicability of the information to the student's request for accommodation within the context of postsecondary education (i.e. how equal access is affected). Information explaining the effect of the disability on the student's academic performance is required. Any information regarding the effects of the disability on the student's academic environment and his/her overall University program will be also be taken into consideration.
• Medications, Procedures/Treatments, Assistive Devices, and Services Medication, procedures/treatments, assistive devices, and services currently used by the student: A description of the intended/estimated effect(s) on the disability. Side effects that may challenge the student physically, behaviorally, perceptually, or cognitively should be included.
• Expected progression of the disability or its stability: This statement should address the functional impact of the disability across time and indicate potential need for reevaluation.

Credentials of the diagnostician(s): Certification, licensure and professional training or experience must be provided. Suggestions from diagnosticians or professionals with a history of working with the student for accommodations, adaptive technology and support services will be considered when congruent with the programs and services offered by the University.