UMD: Disability Resources Documentation Guidelines

Information for

Accommodations & Services

Other Information

UMD Home

Students must provide documentation to qualify for disability accommodations. In general, the documentation must:

Be provided by the licensed professional who has training and experience in the relevant field
Clearly state the credentials of the professional
Be on letterhead, dated and signed
Contain a clear diagnostic statement
Include diagnostic information when appropriate (e.g. test scores)
Include an explanation of the current functional limitations
- Is a major life activity substantially limited?
- What is the impact, extent, and duration, of the condition?
Describe recommended accommodations
Provide a rationale for the recommended accommodations
Address the impact of medication or other treatments on major life activities
Be current
- Three years for ADHD or learning disabilities
- One year for changing conditions (psychological disabilities, some chronic illnesses)
- Five years for permanent, non-varying conditions (sensory, physical) disabilities

See below for specific documentation guidelines for ADHD or learning disorders or consult with a Disability Resources specialist.

Note: A student's IEP is an education plan for K-12 only. It ends when the student graduates from high school. While an IEP may contain important information, additional documentation is usually needed for college. Unlike the K-12 school system, college students must bear the cost of obtaining documentation.

Advance planning is often necessary to have certain accommodations in place when needed. To assure this, address questions and concerns early in the process.

Please call (218) 726-6130 or email access@d.umn.edu to arrange a consultation with a Disability Resources specialist.

Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

The process of diagnosing and determining functional limitations of ADHD is highly individualized. The following guidelines are provided to help assure that ADHD documentation is complete and accurate. Disability Resources reserves the right to determine eligibility and appropriate accommodations based on the quality, recency, and completeness of the documentation submitted. All documentation is confidential and will be maintained by Disability Resources.

Documentation must include a medical or clinical diagnosis of ADHD based on DSM-IV criteria and a rationale for the diagnosis, including evidence of a substantial limitation to learning or other major life activity.
An appropriate professional, a medical doctor or a clinical psychologist, who is knowledgeable about ADHD, must perform the evaluation. The evaluator's name, title, and professional credentials and affiliation should be provided.
Complete documentation includes the following:
- Quantitative and qualitative information that supports the diagnosis
- Interpretation of assessment results (formal assessment instruments and/or clinical interview) and summary
- Information regarding the specific academic functions affected by the disability (e.g., ability to sustain attention, distraction index, processing speed deficit)
- Severity of the disability
- Recommendations for and compliance to prescriptive treatment, including medication
- Investigation/evaluation of dual and/or confounding diagnoses (e.g. mood and behavioral, neurological, learning, personality disorders)
Documentation must reflect the current array of symptoms/features and level of functioning. If the documentation does not, the student may be required to submit updated information and/or documentation.
Academic accommodations provided will be based on specific features/symptoms of disability and determined by Disability Resources specialists.
Neither a 504 plan or an individualized education plan (IEP) constitutes sufficient documentation, but may be submitted along with a medical or clinical evaluation.

Learning Disability

The process of diagnosing and determining functional limitations of learning disability (LD) is highly individualized. The following guidelines are provided to help assure an appropriate and comprehensive assessment/report of learning disability, and a qualified professional to conduct the assessment. Disability Resources reserves the right to determine eligibility and appropriate services based on the quality, recency, and completeness of the documentation submitted. All documentation is confidential and will be maintained by Disability Resources.

An appropriate learning disability assessment

Is done by a licensed professional such as a clinical or educational psychologist, neuropsychologist, learning disability specialist, or school psychologist. The evaluator's name, title, professional credentials and affiliation should be provided. The professional should not be related to the person seeking assessment.
Is comprehensive. A complete report includes the following quantitative and qualitative information that supports the diagnosis:
- Reason for referral
- Background information
- Behavioral observations
- Assessment of academic and intellectual functioning
- Clinical/interpretive summary
- Clear statement of diagnosis
Utilizes test instruments that are standardized, reliable, and valid for use with an adult population. Informal methods can be used in addition to the standardized methods. Standard scores and/or percentile should be provided for all normed measures.
Cites clear and specific evidence as to the existence of learning disability and if a substantial limitation to learning or other major life activity exists.
Rules out or discusses potential factors related to academic difficulty such as language barriers, inadequate instruction, poor motivation, poor study skills, emotional problems, attention problems, cultural/language differences or other disability conditions.
Lists specific, recommended accommodations and provides support for them with test results or clinical observations.
Documents the current array of symptoms/features and level of functioning. If the documentation does not, the student may be required to submit updated information and/or documentation.
Recommends academic accommodations based on specific features/symptoms of disability.
Supplants high school documentation. Neither a 504 plan nor an individualized education plan (IEP) constitutes sufficient documentation, but may be submitted along with a medical or clinical evaluation.