Relevant and current documentation from a qualified professional is required to establish a non-obvious disability and disability-related need for academic accommodations. Disability related documentation should provide information on the impact of the disability so that appropriate accommodations can be identified. Documentation may include assessments, reports, and/or letters from qualified evaluators, professionals, or institutions. Common sources of documentation are psychologists, diagnosticians, and therapists. Please NOTE: IEP's, 504 Plans, and Doctor's prescription notepads are not acceptable but can be used for supplemental information only.
To submit documentation, students/providers can email [email protected], or contact the appropriate campus coordinator.
Qualified Professional
Documentation must come from a qualified professional, not a PCP, who has the credentials, training, and expertise to diagnose or treat the specific condition and whose primary relationship to the student is as an evaluator or treatment provider. Documentation should include the professional’s name, title, credentials, license/certificate numbers (if applicable), and contact information. It should be presented on the professional’s letterhead, typed in English, dated, and signed.
Nature of Disability
Documentation must indicate the nature of the disability or condition, which typically consists of the specific (or working) diagnosis, a general description of the impairment, and the duration of the impairment (e.g. temporary, permanent, progressive, episodic). The professional should also describe or provide the comprehensive assessments and/or relevant medical, developmental, or educational history used to arrive at the diagnosis.
Impact of Disability
Documentation must describe the functional limitations of the disability as they relate to the request for accommodations. That is, the professional should describe how the impairment limits a major life activity like caring for one’s self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning, or working.
Severity of Disability
Documentation must describe the extent to which the impairment limits the student’s ability to perform major life activities. The provider may also indicate whether any specific conditions, stimuli, or environments exacerbate (or mitigate) the severity of the condition.