Documentation Guidelines for Accommodations
The department may request disability documentation from a licensed or certified professional when considering an application for accommodations. Such documentation can be used to establish the existence of a disability, describe functional limitations, and recommend accommodations. An accommodation will not be considered reasonable if it creates a fundamental alteration to a program or service, even if a testing or treating practitioner recommends it.
Documentation should include:
- The name, address, title and professional credentials of the person completing the evaluation (ex., licensed psychologist, medical doctor) and the area of specialization
- Test, methods and/or criteria used, and when available, both the summary and specific test scores
- The nature of functional limitations
- The current impact of the impairment on your ability to participate in Germanna’s educational programs and services
- Recommendation(s) of accommodations
The department may request information, including but not limited to:
- One's description of their needs
- Educational records from high school (eligibility testing, IEPs or 504 Plans)
- Formal psychological or medical evaluations
- Letters from past medical, educational, or other service providers
- Records of past accommodations and services from another college, high stakes testing organization, or local or state agency
Documentation must be relevant to the requested accommodation(s). All documentation submitted to the Office of Accessibility Resources is kept strictly confidential.
Confidential files are kept on all students who self-disclose disabilities at Germanna. Each file includes, but is not limited to: intake forms, appropriate documentation of disability, releases of information, a record of contacts, and a record of services provided.
In order to determine the most appropriate accommodations for each student, the following types of documentation must be provided.
Learning Disabilities
A current psychological or psycho-educational evaluation performed by a licensed professional must be provided.
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Current documentation from a medical doctor or a psycho-educational report documenting the disorder must be supplied.
Psychiatric Disorders
The form titled “Documentation of Psychiatric Disorders” must be filled out by a psychiatrist, licensed psychologist, licensed social worker, or licensed professional counselor. The form must verify the student’s need for academic accommodations.
Visual Impairments
A current letter or examination report from a medical doctor, optometrist, or ophthalmologist documenting the degree of hearing loss.
Hearing Impairment
A current letter or audiological report from an audiologist or speech and hearing center documenting the degree of hearing loss.
Speech/Language Impaired
A report from a speech/language pathologist or high school records documenting the disability. Mobility Impairment – Verification of the disability from a qualified health professional.
Acquired Brain Impairment
A current neuropsychological, psychological, or psycho-educational report which documents the effects of the ABI on cognitive functioning.
Other Health Impaired
A current letter or report from a medical doctor documenting the disability and a description of how it may impact the student’s academic abilities.