Students requesting accommodations on the basis of an Acquired Brain Injury (ABI), which includes Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) are to provide documentation that reflects the current impact of the disability on academic performance including:

1. A Neuropsychological evaluation containing assessments of intellectual, conceptual, and cognitive competence; academic skills; personality status; motor facility of all extremities; sensory, perceptual, and processing efficiency; visual, auditory, and tactile facility; speech, language, and communication ability; and evaluation of memory and attention.
2. An integrated summary that: • Indicates executive functioning deficits expected to impact postsecondary education performance and appropriate adjustments, • Describes the impact of the limitations specifically on learning (e.g., reading, math, and written expression), • Identifies concerns with negotiation of the college environment and suggests strategies, and • States how the effects of the brain injury are mediated by the recommended adjustments.

For a list of other acceptable forms of documentation: (should be a clickable link) Utilization of particular evaluation techniques at the discretion of the evaluator possibly including; Bender-Gestalt, Halstead Reitain Battery (or selected parts); Detroit Tests of Learning Aptitude - 4 (DTLA-4) or Detroit Tests of Learning Aptitude - Adult (DTLA-A); Luria Nebraska Battery (or selected parts); Peabody Individual Achievement Test-R/NU (or other adult individual achievement tests); Woodcock Reading Mastery Tests- Revised/NU; Woodcock-Johnson III; and the Spache Written Language Assessment.

Documentation of Disability form

To receive support for ADHD, an evaluation by a psychiatrist, neurologist, or licensed psychologist, or an evaluation report from a school psychologist containing current information must be submitted. This should include:

• a stated medical diagnosis of ADHD
• a detailed description of the symptoms that meet the criteria for the diagnosis
• evaluation instruments used to make this diagnosis

A student may ask their provider to complete the Documentation of Disability form.

See further ADHD documentation guidelines >

To receive accommodations due to a diagnosis of ASD, documentation from a qualified professional, such as a psychiatrist, neurologist, licensed psychologist, or another relevantly trained individual must be submitted. This should include:

• a specific diagnosis
• history of and current functional limitations of major life activities
• recommendations of accommodations to be considered
• information related to behavioral, social, or emotional differences

Documentation of Disability form

To receive support for blindness/visual disabilities an evaluation from an ophthalmologist or optometrist must be submitted. This should include:

• a clear statement of a vision-related disability
• medical or educational information relating to the student’s needs
• vision status
• the impact this disability has in a post-secondary environment
• recommendations for how the functional limitations may be accommodated

Documentation of Disability form

To receive support for deafness, hard of hearing and/or hearing loss, an audiological evaluation or audiogram administered by an audiologist, otologist, otorhinolaryngologist, or a qualified physician must be submitted. This should include:

• a clear statement of deafness or hearing loss with a description of how deafness or hearing loss impacts a student’s functioning
• recommendations on how the functional limitations may be accommodated in a post-secondary setting, including a statement about the use of hearing aids and sign language interpretation

Documentation of Disability form

To receive accommodations based on an intellectual disability, a comprehensive report detailing evaluations administered by a qualified professional, including clinical or educational psychologists, school psychologists, special education teachers, or neuropsychologists must be submitted. The evaluation must demonstrate:

• significant limitations in both intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior
• detailed developmental, psychosocial, and medical histories
• measures of functional performance across all domains (reading, writing, mathematics, behavioral/social/emotional, communication, vocational/transition, and health and development) must be provided as well

Documentation of Disability form

Notes:

• Often, students with an intellectual disability can provide evaluations conducted when they were in high school.
• At the high school level, students with intellectual disabilities may have received modifications in areas such as assignments, assessments, grading, and course requirements. Post-secondary institutions are not required to provide modifications. Students with intellectual disabilities are granted reasonable accommodations to access course requirements.

To receive accommodations due to a diagnosis of a learning disability, documentation from a qualified professional, including clinical and educational psychologists, special education teachers, school psychologists, learning disability specialists or neuropsychologists must be submitted. Often, an evaluation conducted by a student’s high school within the last five years is acceptable. This should include:

• a clearly stated diagnosis of a learning disability, including the results of a cognitive evaluation of intellectual functioning
• achievement levels in reading, mathematics and written language, including all tests and subtest scores
• a description of strengths and weaknesses with recommendations for accommodations appropriate for a post-secondary setting must be detailed in the submitted report

Documentation of Disability form

To receive accommodations due to a mental health diagnosis, documentation from a medical doctor, licensed psychologist, licensed social worker or certified school psychologist must be submitted. The documentation submitted must clearly state the diagnosis as per the DSM-5 which indicates the nature, frequency, and severity of the symptoms. Furthermore, the documentation should detail how the diagnosis substantially limits major life activities and include recommendations for the effects of a diagnosis that may be accommodated along with the rationale for each accommodation.

Documentation of Disability form

Any physical disability or systemic illness requires the diagnosis of a medical professional, including physicians, neurologists, and rehabilitation therapists. The documentation submitted by the student must include:

• a clear statement of the medical diagnosis describing the orthopedic, mobility, physical disability or systemic illness
• a description of the present symptoms as well as pertinent information regarding the current impact of the disability in an academic environment
• recommendations for reasonable accommodations in a post-secondary setting

Students requesting accommodations on the basis of a psychological disability are to provide current documentation from a licensed mental health professional. Documentation from other medical providers will be considered and reviewed for provisional accommodations. Documentation should include, but not be limited to:

1. An integrated summary that: • indicates a specific, current psychiatric diagnosis as per the DSM of the American Psychiatric Association, • indicates the substantial limitations to major life activities posed by the psychological disability, • Describes the impact of the health-related condition in an educational setting and suggests possible accommodations, • includes a description of the presenting problem(s) including any significant developmental, medical, psychosocial and employment; and family history.
2. Prescribed medications, dosages and schedules that may influence the types of accommodations provided, including possible side effects. Information about prescribed medications, if applicable, that may influence the types of accommodations provided, including any possible side effects.

Note: Emotional Disturbance (ED) is an educational label and does not constitute a disability at the postsecondary level.

Due to the evolving and changing nature of psychological disabilities, providing current updates is helpful to ensure appropriate supports are considered.

Documentation of Disability form

The Office for Disability and Accessibility Services will provide reasonable accommodations to students with temporary medical conditions such as illnesses, injuries or complicated pregnancies. To be eligible for reasonable accommodations, documentation of a temporary medical condition as established by a physician or health care provider is required and determined on a case-by-case basis.

Documentation should clearly state:

• the medical condition, symptoms, and the expected length of the condition
• the current effects of the condition on the student’s functioning and learning, described in detail
• the healthcare provider’s recommendations for accommodations

Documentation of Disability form