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** To
be considered an individual with a disability under the Americans
with Disability Act of 1990 (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation
Act of 1973, a person must have a physical or mental impairment that
substantially limits one or more major life activities;
OR have a record of such as impairment; OR be regarded as having
such as impairment. Major
life activities include, but are not limited to walking, sitting,
standing, lifting, reaching, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing,
learning, working, caring for one’s self and similar activities.
** The
presence of a disorder/condition does not necessarily qualify
an individual for accommodations under the ADA or 504. It
is the substantial limitation(s) on one or more major life
activities due to the disorder or condition that will be the
determining factor(s) in eligibility for specific accommodations. Documentation
MUST include a description of the functional limitations the
individual is likely to have at college due to his/her disability
in order to assist Niagara University in determining eligibility
for disability accommodations in this academic setting. The
documentation you provide is critical to the decision making
process.
** Documentation
MUST include explicit connections between the individual’s
functional limitation(s) and ANY recommended accommodations.
Documentation
Guidelines:
Learning
Disability
ADD/ADHD
Psychological
Disabilities
Alcohol
and/or Substance Abuse Recovery
Mobility,
Systemic, or Disease-related Disabilities
Hearing
Loss, Deafness
Visual
Impairments, Blindness
Specific
Learning Disability:
The
following guidelines are provided in the interest of assuring
that documentation is appropriate to verify eligibility and to
support requests for reasonable accommodations, adjustments,
and/or auxiliary aids and services on the basis of a learning
disability that currently
substantially limits one or more major life activities. Students
are responsible for the costs associated with obtaining documentation.
1. Testing
should be comprehensive. It
is not acceptable to administer only one test for the purpose of diagnosis. Minimally, domains to be addressed should include (but not
be limited to):
- Aptitude. The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale – Revised (WAIS-R)
with subtest scores is the preferred instrument. The
Woodcock-Johnson Psychoeducational Battery-Revised: Tests of
Cognitive Ability or the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale: Fourth
edition are acceptable.
- Achievement. Current
levels of functioning in reading, mathematics and written language
are required. Acceptable
instruments include the Woodcock-Johnson Psychoeducational Battery – Revised: Tests
of Achievement; Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT);
Stanford Test of Academic Skills (TASK); Scholastic Abilities
Test for Adults (SATA); or specific achievement tests such as
the Test of Written Language – 2 (TOWL-2), Woodcock Reading
Mastery Tests – Revised, the Stanford Diagnostic Mathematics
Test, and the Nelson-Denny Reading Test. The
Wide Range Achievement Test – 3 (WRAT –3) is NOT
a comprehensive measure of achievement and therefore in not suitable
as the sole measure of achievement.
- Information
Processing. Specific
areas of information processing (e.g., short- and long-term
memory; sequential memory; auditory and visual perception/processing;
processing speed) should be assessed. Information
from subtests on the WAIS-R or clusters on the Woodcock-Johnson
Tests of Cognitive Ability as well as other suitable instruments
(e.g., Detroit Tests of Learning Aptitude-III) may be used
to address these areas.
NOTE: This
is not intended to be an exhaustive list or to restrict assessment
in other pertinent and helpful areas such as vocational interests
and aptitudes.
2. Testing
should be current. In most cases, this means testing that has
been conducted within the past three years. Because the provision
of all reasonable accommodations and services is based upon
assessment of the current impact of the student's disabilities
on his/her academic performance, it is in a student's best
interest to provide recent and relevant documentation
There
should be clear and specific evidence and identification of
a learning disability. Individual “learning
styles” and “learning differences” in and
of themselves do not constitute a learning disability.
3. Actual
test scores should be provided. Standard
scores and/or percentiles are acceptable; grade equivalents
are NOT acceptable unless standard scores and/or percentiles
are also included. The
assessment should show evidence of discrepancies and intra-individual
differences that result in substantial functional limitation(s)
to learning.
4. Professionals
conducting assessment and rendering diagnoses of specific learning
disabilities should be qualified to do so. Generally,
professionals recognized as being qualified to make a diagnosis
of learning disability are psychologists trained in either
psychological, neuropsychological, or psychoeducational assessments,
psychiatrists, or learning disability specialists with similar
training and credentials (i.e., licensed or certified by the
state). Diagnostic reports should include the names, titles,
and professional credentials (e.g., licensed psychologist)
of the evaluators as well as the dates(s) of testing. Experience
in working with an adult population is essential. The
diagnostician should be impartial and not a family member.
5. Tests
used to document eligibility should be technically sound (i.e.,
statistically reliable and valid) and standardized for use
with an adult population.
6. A
written summary of or background information about the student’s
educational, medical, and family histories that relate to the
learning disability should be included.
Is
helpful to include a description of any accommodation and/or
auxiliary aid that has been used at the secondary or postsecondary
level. Information
about the specific conditions under which the accommodation
was used (e.g., standardized testing, final exams) and whether
or not it benefited the student is also useful in determining
appropriate accommodations for the student.
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Attention Deficit
Disorder/ Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder:
The
following guidelines are provided in the interest of assuring
that documentation is appropriate to verify eligibility and
to support requests for reasonable accommodations, adjustments,
and auxiliary aids and services on the basis of ADD/ADHD that
currently substantially limits one or more major life activities.
Students are responsible for the costs associated with obtaining
documentation.
1. A clear statement of ADD/ADHD according to the Diagnostic
and Disability Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV)
diagnosis and a description of supporting present symptoms
and, if pertinent, past symptoms.
2. A
narrative summary which includes:
- assessment
procedures and evaluation instruments, including all test scores
and sub-scores, used to make the diagnosis;
- the
functional limitations and impairments related to the diagnosis
and medical treatment of the condition including medication
(if prescribed, include dosages and schedules of medication),
which affect the student’s current level of functioning
in the university environment;
- and
descriptions/suggestions of reasonable accommodations that
have been or might be appropriate at the postsecondary level
are encouraged. These
recommendations should be supported by the diagnosis.
3. 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 specific request for accommodation).
Attention
Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD/ADHD) is considered a
medical or clinical diagnosis. Generally,
individuals qualified to render a diagnosis for this disorder
are practitioners who have been trained in the assessment
of ADD/ADHD and are experienced in assessing the needs of
adult learners. Recommended
practitioners may include developmental pediatricians, neurologists,
psychiatrists, licensed clinical or educational psychologists,
family physicians, or a combination or such professionals. The diagnostician should be impartial and not a family member. Further
assessment by an appropriate professional may be required
if co-existing learning disabilities are indicated.
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Psychological Disabilities:
The
following guidelines are provided in the interest of assuring
that documentation is appropriate to verify eligibility and
to support requests for reasonable accommodations, adjustments
and/or aids and services on the basis of emotional or psychiatric
disability which currently substantially limits one or more
major life activities. Students are responsible for the costs
associated with obtaining documentation.
1. A
clear statement of medical/psychological diagnosis according
to the Diagnostic and Disability Statistical Manual of Mental
Disorders (DSM IV) and a description of supporting present
symptoms and, if pertinent, past symptoms.
2. A
narrative summary which includes:
a) the
diagnostic studies and tests used to make the diagnosis;
b) the
functional limitations and impairments related to the diagnosis
and medical treatment of the condition including medication
(dosages and schedules should be included), which affect
the student’s current level of functioning in the university
environment;
c) and
description/suggestions of reasonable accommodations that
have been or might be appropriate in the university environment. The
recommendations should be supported by the diagnosis.
3. Documentation
of disability should be current, preferably in the last six
to twelve months, and should include the relative stability
of the present condition. If
presently in treatment, documentation should include an update
on the status of the disability and the impact of the student’s
functioning in the academic environment.
Professionals conducting diagnostic studies
and rendering diagnosis should be qualified to do so. Generally,
professionals recognized as qualified to make the diagnosis
are physicians, nurse practitioners, psychiatrists, psychologists
and clinical social workers/mental health counselors in conjunction
with specialists experienced in working with the particular
condition. The diagnostician should be impartial and not a family member.
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Alcohol and/or Substance
Abuse Recovery:
The
following guidelines are provided in the interest of assuring
that documentation is appropriate to verify eligibility and
to support requests for reasonable accommodations, adjustments
and/or aids on the basis of a alcohol or substance abuse
recovery disability which currently substantially limits
one or more major life activities. Students are responsible
for the costs associated with obtaining documentation.
1. A
clear statement of medical diagnosis and a description of supporting
present symptoms and, if pertinent, past symptoms.
2. A
narrative summary which includes:
a) specific
interpretation of the functional limitation and impairments
related to the diagnosis and medical treatment of the condition
which affect the student’s current level of functioning
in the university environment;
b) and
description/suggestions of reasonable accommodations that have
been or might be appropriate in the university environment. The
recommendations should be supported by the diagnosis.
3. Documentation
of disability should be current, preferably in the last one
to three years, and should include the relative stability of
the condition. (The
age of acceptable documentation is dependent upon the disabling
condition, the current status of the student, and the student’s
specific request for accommodation).
Professionals conducting diagnostic studies and rendering
diagnosis should be qualified to do so. Generally,
professionals recognized as qualified to make the diagnosis
are physicians, nurse practitioners, licensed social workers,
or chemical dependency counselors who have the appropriate
credentials/license in conjunction with specialists experienced
in working with the particular condition. The
diagnostician should be impartial and not a family member.
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Mobility,
Systemic, or Disease-related Disabilities:
The
following guidelines are provided in the interest of assuring
that documentation is appropriate to verify eligibility and
to support requests for reasonable accommodations, adjustments
and/or aids on the basis of a mobility, systemic, or disease
related disability which currently substantially limits one
or more major life activities. Students are responsible for
the costs associated with obtaining documentation.
1. A
clear statement of medical diagnosis and a description of supporting
present symptoms and, if pertinent, past symptoms.
2. A
narrative summary which includes:
a) the
diagnostic studies and tests used to make the diagnosis;
b) the
functional limitations and impairments related to the diagnosis
and medical treatment of the condition including medication
(dosages and schedules of medications should be included),
which affect the student’s current level of functioning
in the university environment;
c) and
descriptions/suggestions of reasonable accommodations that
have been or might be appropriate in the university environment. The
recommendations should be supported by the diagnosis.
3. Documentation
of disability should be current, preferably in the last one
to three years, and should include the relative stability of
the condition. (The
age of acceptable documentation is dependent upon the disabling
condition, the current status of the student, and the student’s
specific request for accommodation).
Professionals
conducting diagnostic studies and rendering diagnosis should
be qualified to do so. Generally, professionals recognized as qualified to make the
diagnosis are physicians and nurse practitioners in conjunction
with specialists experienced in working with the particular
condition, such as physical therapists, occupational therapists,
and rehabilitative specialists who are licensed and certified. The
diagnostician should be impartial and not a family member.
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Hearing
Loss / Deafness:
The
following guidelines are provided in the interest of assuring
that documentation is appropriate to verify eligibility and
to support requests for reasonable accommodations, adjustments
and/or aids on the basis of a hearing loss or deafness disability
which currently substantially limits one or more major life
activities. Students are responsible for the costs associated
with obtaining documentation.
1. A
clear statement of diagnosis and a description of supporting
present symptoms and, if pertinent, past symptoms.
2. A
narrative summary which includes:
a) the
diagnostic studies and tests used to make the diagnosis including
audiological evaluation and/or audiogram;
b) specific
interpretation of the functional limitation and impairments
related to the diagnosis and medical treatment of the condition,
including the implications of the diagnostic data and hearing
aid evaluation, which affect the student’s current level
of functioning in the university environment;
c) and
descriptions/suggestions of reasonable accommodations that
have been or might be appropriate in the university environment. The
recommendations should be supported by the diagnosis.
3. Documentation
of disability should be current, preferably in the last one
to three years, and should include the relative stability of
the condition. (The
age of acceptable documentation is dependent upon the disabling
condition, the current status of the student, and the student’s
specific request for accommodation).
Professionals conducting diagnostic studies and rendering diagnosis should
be qualified to do so. Generally
professionals recognized as qualified to make the diagnosis
are physicians and nurse practitioners in conjunction
with specialists experienced in working with the particular
condition. The diagnostician should be impartial and not a
family member.
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Visual
Impairment/ Blindness:
The
following guidelines are provided in the interest of assuring
that documentation is appropriate to verify eligibility and
to support requests for reasonable accommodations, adjustments
and/or aids on the basis of a visual impairment or blindness
disability which currently substantially limits one or more major life
activities. Students are responsible for the costs associated
with obtaining documentation.
1. A
clear statement of diagnosis and a description of supporting
present symptoms and, if pertinent, past symptoms.
2. A
narrative summary which includes:
a) the
diagnostic studies and tests used to make the diagnosis including
ocular assessment, opthamologic examination and low vision evaluation
of residual visual function, where appropriate;
b) specific
interpretation of the functional limitation and impairments related
to the diagnosis and medical treatment of the condition which
affect the student’s current level of functioning in the
university environment;
c) and
descriptions/suggestions of reasonable accommodations that have
been or might be appropriate in the university environment. The
recommendations should be supported by the diagnosis.
3. Documentation
of disability should be current, preferably in the last one
to three years, and should include the relative stability of
the condition. (The
age of acceptable documentation is dependent upon the disabling
condition, the current status of the student, and the student’s
specific request for accommodation).
Professionals conducting
diagnostic studies and rendering diagnosis should be qualified
to do so. Generally,
professionals recognized as qualified to make the diagnosis are
physicians and nurse practitioners in conjunction with specialists
experienced in working with the particular condition. The
diagnostician should be impartial and not a family member.
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