Documentation Requirements

The first step of the accommodations process is a conversation with the DSS Coordinator, from which the Coordinator can understand the unique nature of your needs and barriers to access. Once the intake has concluded, the DSS Coordinator will specify what, if any, documentation is needed in order to support your request for accommodations.

Documentation from a medical professional or other qualified individual can be helpful in establishing the existence and extent of a disability; in providing a background or historical context that illustrates the impact of the disability; and in supporting the DSS Coordinator in determining reasonable accommodations in order to assure equal access. Documentation must be prepared and signed by a qualified professional, and it must establish a current need for accommodation. A qualified professional is someone who has relevant training and experience in diagnosing the disability, and who is not related to the student. In addition, it should include the following information:

A specific diagnosis and its current status, i.e. acute, permanent, in treatment, remissive, etc.
A summary of the impact of the disability on the student’s life, including a review of functional limitations to major life activities to establish eligibility for protection under the law.

Documentation may also include:

A brief history of the student and his or her disability.
Recommendations for accommodations, adaptive devices, assistive services, compensatory strategies, and/or collateral support services.

Recommendations from professionals with a history of working with the individual provide valuable information for review and the planning process. It is most helpful when recommended accommodations and strategies are logically related to functional limitations. If connections are not obvious, a clear explanation of their relationship can be useful in decision-making. While the post-secondary institution has no obligation to provide or adopt recommendations made in a student’s documentation, those that are congruent with the programs, services, and benefits offered by the college or program may be appropriate.

In order to have your medical, educational, or personal records released to you or to DSS directly, please download and submit the Release of Information and Permission form.

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Documentation Requirements