Documentation Guidelines
Student Accessibility Services requires documentation of your disability in order to fully evaluate your eligibility for services. Students with documented disabilities, visible or hidden, qualify for services. Categories of disability include, but are not limited to the following (Click on the links below for further info):
Learning Disabilities
Attention Deficit Disorders
Mobility/Orthopedic Disabilities
Chronic Health-Related Disabilities
Emotional/Psychological Disabilities
Deaf/Hearing Impairments
Blind/Low Vision Impairments
Traumatic Brain Injuries
Autism Spectrum Disorders
Documentation Guidelines
- Determination of eligibility for academic adjustments must be supported by appropriate documentation provided by qualified professionals*
- This documentation must substantiate the need for these services based on the individual’s current level of academic functioning in an educational setting
- Students are required to provide recent (within 3-5 years for learning disabilities/attention deficit disorders; 3-6 months for mental health and/or chronic health disorders) and appropriate documentation relevant to the student’s needs and learning environment
- Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), Summary of Performance (SOP), or Section 504 plans from high schools may provide supportive information of a disability, but are not considered sufficient forms of documentation of a disability
- SAS will not accept documentation that has been altered in any way or that has pages missing from the text
*Appropriate professionals include school and/or clinical psychologists, educational therapists, special education teachers, licensed psychiatrists, neurologists, or physicians (for medical conditions). Certified/appropriate professionals cannot be family members.
Documentation Must Include
- A clear and detailed comprehensive assessment of the disability and/or diagnosis provided by a qualified professional
- Evaluation of possible alternative diagnoses or explanations
- Historical and background evidence of existing impairment
- Current impact of (or limitations imposed by) the present disability
- Treatments, medications, devices, or services currently prescribed or used to minimize the impact of the impairment
- Expected duration, stability, or progression
- Supportive testing and/or qualitative neuropsychological or psycho-educational assessment discussing academic area(s) of impact and/or limitation(s)
- Recommended academic adjustments with rationale as related to the student’s disability
- Integrated summary of medical documentation, related testing, and supportive information
- Name, title, address, and phone number of certifying professional, as well as, the date of diagnosis and/or evaluation included on typed letterhead.
SAS refers to Connecticut’s Association on Higher Education and Disability (CT AHEAD) guidelines to determine documentation guidelines and eligibility of academic adjustments. For more information about guidelines for specific disabilities, please see links to the right or contact a Specialist.
