The following guidelines for documenting
a disability are provided to assist the student and evaluator in providing
appropriate documentation of a disability. Documentation serves as the
foundation that legitimizes a student's request for appropriate accommodations.
The professional providing this information must have first hand knowledge
of the student's condition; must have experience and training diagnosing
and treating college students; and must be an impartial professional who
is not related to the student.
Documentation should include:
- A clear statement of the disability including diagnosis and prognosis.
- Documentation for eligibility should be current, preferably 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 request for accommodations.).
- A summary of evaluation procedures as well as diagnostic tests/evaluation results used to make the diagnosis.
- Medical information should include a statement of the functional impact or limitations the disability has on learning or other major life activities.
- Each recommended accommodation should be accompanied by an explanation of its relevance to the disability that is diagnosed.
- Date of first meeting with student and date of most recent meeting with student.
Specific Disabilities:
All students who wish to receive academic adjustments
need to provide the above information in addition to their specific
disability as outlined below.
Psychiatric Disabilities: documentation must also include
the DSM-IV diagnosis and a summary of present symptoms in a written
report from a psychiatrist, licensed psychologist, certified social
worker (CSW or ACSW) or licensed professional counselor.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: documentation
must include a statement of presenting problem; evidence of early impairment;
testing that verifies a pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity/impulsivity
that currently affects learning; identification of DSM-IV criteria for
ADHD; report summary and rationales for accommodations using evidence
from the evaluation. Professionals considered acceptable for evaluating
ADHD are licensed physicians, neuropsychologists, and psychologists.
Learning Disabilities: documentation should validate the
need for services based on the individual's current level of functioning
in the educational setting. 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.
A comprehensive assessment battery and the resulting diagnostic report
should include a diagnostic interview, assessment of aptitude, academic
achievement, information processing, and a diagnosis. Assessment, and
any resulting diagnosis, should consist of and be based on a comprehensive
assessment battery which does not rely on any one test or subtest. Individual
"learning styles," "learning differences," "academic problems," and
"test difficulty or anxiety," in and of themselves, do not constitute
a learning disability. The tests used should be reliable, valid and
standardized for use with an adolescent/adult population. The test findings
should document both the nature and severity of the learning disability.
The following professionals would generally be considered qualified
to evaluate specific learning disabilities provided that they have additional
training and experience in the assessment of learning problems in adolescents
and adults: clinical or educational psychologists, school psychologists,
neuropsychologists, learning disabilities specialists, medical doctors,
and other professionals.2
2(c) 1997, The Association on Higher Education And Disability, Columbus, OH USA (AHEAD)
|
In granting
an accommodation, the Disability Coordinator has the right to review
pertinent information with individuals identified by the Coordinator
as necessary participants in the decision making process (such as instructors,
academic advisors, Medical staff, student's health professionals, and
the appropriate experts in the field).
If accommodations are not clearly identified in a diagnostic report, the Disability Coordinator can seek outside, professional clarification. At that time, the student will be notified of the intentions of the Disabilities Services Office.
|
MIT |
General Info |
Students |
Faculty