DOCUMENTATION GUIDELINES:

Students with physical or systemic disabilities and temporary conditions must provide documentation that meets the following criteria:

·         The documentation must be comprehensive and current (within three (3) years prior to the students request for accommodation(s).)

·         Professionals conducting assessments, rendering diagnoses of specific disabilities, and making recommendations for appropriate accommodation(s) must be qualified to do so (e.g., physician).

·         The documentation must identify an unequivocal diagnosis of a specific disability.

·         The documentation must discuss functional limitations caused by the disability in an academic environment or the environment in which the student is requesting accommodation(s).

·         The documentation should recommend accommodation(s) to compensate for the identified functional limitations.

·         The documentation should list current medication, dosages, and existing (not possible) side effects.

ACCOMMODATIONS ARE DECIDED ON A CASE-BY-CASE BASIS AND MAY INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO, THE FOLLOWING: 

·           Priority registration

·           Extended time for examinations

·           Examinations in a distraction-reduced environment    

·           Consideration for absences

·           Frequent breaks

·           Writing directly on the test, without a scantron

·           Note taking

·           Food and beverages in class

·           E-Text

·           Enlarged tests

·           Use of a computer

·           Reader

·           Scribe

·           Moving classes to accessible locations

WHEN TO CONTACT DS:

·         To register for services.

·         To request additional accommodation(s).

·         When unable to work out DS approved accommodations with faculty.

·         When accommodations do not seem to be helping or the physical condition has worsened.

·         When there is a problem. Be honest with the DS staff and faculty. We cannot be of assistance if we do not know a problem exists.

TYPES OF PHYSICAL AND SYSTEMIC (MEDICAL) DISABILITIES:

Mobility Impairments

Mobility impairments range in severity from limitations on stamina to paralysis.                   

Examples of conditions that can cause mobility impairments include:

·           Amputation

·           Arthritis

·           Cerebral palsy

·           Neuromuscular disorders

·           Paralysis

Visual Impairments

Visual impairments range in severity and limitations, depending upon the type. 

Systemic (Medical) Disabilities

Systemic disabilities are conditions affecting one or more of the body's systems. Examples of systemic (medical) disabilities include:

·           Cancer

·           Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

·           Diabetes

·           Epilepsy/seizure disorder

·           Lupus Erythematosis

·           Multiple chemical sensitivity

·         Seizure Disorder

Other Physical Disabilities

Students with a wide variety of other physical disabilities, including temporary conditions, may be eligible to receive services and/or accommodation(s) as long as the physical disability has a definitive physical cause and significantly impacts one or more major life activities that affect the student’s academic performance.

Note: Students with disabilities have a right to review their files. This can be arranged by scheduling an appointment with an DS staff member. DS does not provide copies of documentation. Upon receipt of student documentation, DS will scan documentation to create an electronic student file. The original hard copy of the documentation will then be destroyed. Upon registration, students will be encouraged to maintain a copy of the documentation. Original copies of documentation should be obtained from the originator of the documentation.  DS will retain an electronic copy of all information within a student’s file for five (5) years. Once the student is considered inactive for five years, the file may be deleted. When a student with a disability requests accommodations, he/she should understand that some disability-related information may be provided on a need-to-know basis to University personnel in order to ensure that the student will receive appropriate accommodations. In most instances, University personnel need to know only what accommodations the student must be provided and that the student has been through the disability documentation review process with DS. Otherwise, University personnel do not have access to information regarding a student’s disability.

Physical and Medical Disability Documentation Form