Documentation Guidelines (draft)

Eligibility for accommodations at the college level is dependent upon the nature of the disability and its impact on learning. The following guidelines are provided in the interest of assuring that documentation is complete and accurate. SASS reserves the right to determine eligibility and appropriate services based on the quality, recency and completeness of the documentation submitted.

These guidelines are based upon the standards set forth by the Association on Higher Education and Disabilities (AHEAD). AHEAD is an international, multicultural organization of professionals that was organized in 1977 to act as a resource to postsecondary institution's disability service providers. Its membership is approximately 2100 individuals representing 1400 institutions of higher learning.

Learning Disabilities

The following guidelines are provided in the interest of assuring that documentation will adequately verify eligibility and support requests for accommodations, academic adjustments, and/or auxiliary aids and services.

• A qualified professional must conduct the evaluation: licensed psychologist, learning specialist or clinical psychologist.
• Testing must be current (within 3-5 years)
• Documentation necessary to substantiate the LD must be comprehensive and include the following:

1. Diagnostic Interview, with relevant history.
2. Assessment
   • Cognitive ability/aptitude
   • Academic achievement (reading, oral and written language, math)
   • Information processing
3. Specific Diagnosis must be included
4. Actual test scores from standardized instruments must be provided (see recommended tests on pg. 11)
5. Rationale for each recommended accommodation must be included.
6. Interpretive summary must be provided and:
• Indicate that evaluator ruled out alternative explanations.
• Indicate how patterns in test results are used to determine the presence of a LD.
• Indicate how the LD limits learning and/or affects test performance.
• Offer rationale as to:
  • Why specific accommodations are needed
  • How the effects of the specific disability are mediated by the accommodations

Psychological Disabilities

The following guidelines are provided in the interest of assuring that documentation will adequately verify eligibility and support requests for accommodations, academic adjustments, and/or auxiliary aids and services.

• Documentation must include a medical or clinical diagnosis of a psychological disability based on DSM-IV criteria and a rationale for the diagnosis.
• The evaluation must be performed by an appropriate professional: a psychiatrist, a clinical psychologist, or a clinical social worker. The evaluator's name, title and professional credentials and affiliation should be provided.
• Documentation necessary to substantiate a psychological disability must include the following:
  1. Information regarding the severity of the disability and the specific academic functions affected by the disability and/or medication (e.g., ability to concentrate, ability to attend class regularly, ability to interact in small/large groups):
  2. Recommendations for and compliance to a prescriptive treatment, including medication;
  3. Recommendations for academic accommodations based upon specific features/symptoms of the disability.
• Documentation must reflect the current (within the past year) array of symptoms/features and level of functioning; if the documentation does not, students may be required to submit up-dated information and/or documentation.

ADD/ADHD

The following guidelines are provided in the interest of assuring that documentation will adequately verify eligibility and support requests for accommodations, academic adjustments, and/or auxiliary aids and services.

• Documentation must include a medical or clinical diagnosis of ADD/ADHD based on DSM-IV criteria and a rationale for the diagnosis.
• The evaluation must be performed by an appropriate professional, a medical doctor or a clinical psychologist, who is knowledgeable regarding ADD/ADHD. The evaluator's name, title and professional credentials and affiliation should be provided.
• The documentation should include the following:
  1. Quantitative and qualitative information that supports the diagnosis;
  2. Summary and interpretation of assessment instruments (formal assessment instruments and/or clinical interview);
  3. Information regarding the specific academic functions affected by the disability and the severity of the limitations (e.g., ability to sustain attention, distraction index);
  4. Recommendations for and compliance to prescriptive treatment, including medication;
  5. Recommendations for academic accommodations based on specific features/symptoms of the disability;
  6. Investigation/evaluation of dual and/or confounding diagnosis (e.g.; mood, behavioral, neurological, learning and personality disorders).
• Documentation must reflect the current (within the past year) array of symptoms/features and level of functioning; if the documentation does not, students may be required to submit up-dated information and/or documentation.
• Neither a 504 plan nor an individualized education plan (IEP) constitute sufficient documentation but may be submitted along with a medical or clinical evaluation.