Disability Resources

General Documentation Guidelines

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 credintials of the professional
• Be on letterhead, dated and signed
• Contain a clear diagnostic statement
• Include diagnostic information (test scores, etc. when appropriate)
• 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 rationale for the recommended accommodations
• Address the impact of medication or other treatments on major life activities.
• Be current
  • Three years for ADHD, LD
  • One year for changing conditions (psychological disabilities, some chronic illnesses)
  • Five years for permanent, non-varying conditions (sensory, physical) disabilities

Refer to DR web pages or ask a DR specialist for specific disability documentation information for Learning Disabilities or ADHD.

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, so it's best to address questions and concerns early in the process. To arrange a consultation with a Disability Resources counselor, call 218-726-6130.

Thursday, 08-Oct-2009 15:58:13 CDT