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The Academic Support Services Coordinator assists students with
disabilities in receiving accommodations. The first step in receiving academic accommodations is to
complete the Disability Self Identification Form.
Documentation serves as a foundation that legitimizes a
student's request for appropriate accommodations. The first purpose of verifying
documentation is to establish the existence of a disability as defined under
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (1973) and the Americans with Disabilities
Act (1990). Under these statutes, the severity of a disability or degree of
impact on life functions is important.
To establish the existence of a disability under these statutes,
the documentation must demonstrate that the condition is a "mental or
physical impairment that substantially limits a major life activity" (ADA
1990). Life activities that are typically important to college students are such
functions as reading, listening, walking, writing, learning, and speaking. In
order for the College to be able to determine whether reasonable accommodations
can be designed and what those accommodations can be, we need detailed
information about the impact of the disability.
Who Can Provide Verifying Documentation?
In most cases, documentation will be needed from doctoral level
professionals such as a certified and /or licensed psychologists, medical
doctors, psychiatrists, or neurologists. The professional should be experienced
in diagnosing and treating the disability, should prepare the documentation on
appropriate clinical stationary, should sign the document, and should be able to
provide the College with verification of the experience and expertise in the
specialty if asked. The diagnostician must be an impartial individual who is not
related to the student.
Recommended Documentation
1. A clear statement that a disability is
present along with the rationale for this diagnosis. A school plan such as an
individualized education program (IEP) or a 504 plan is insufficient
documentation, but it can be included as part of a more comprehensive assessment
battery. (Note: individual learning deficits, learning styles, and learning
differences do not constitute a learning disability or attention deficit
hyperactivity disorder.)
2. Documentation for eligibility should be
current, within the last three years. (The age of acceptable documentation is
dependent upon the disabling condition, the current status of the student, and
the student's specific request for accommodations. All cases will be evaluated
on a case-by-case basis.)
3. A narrative summary of assessment
procedures and evaluation instruments used to make the diagnosis.
4. A statement of the functional impact or
limitation of the disability on learning or other major life activity and the
degree to which it impacts the student in the learning context.
5. A list of recommended reasonable
accommodations for the postsecondary environment.
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