Documentation Guidelines and Forms
DAS recognizes that each student’s lived experience with disability is central to the accommodation process. Our goal is to ensure equal access and support through an individualized, interactive approach.
Third-party documentation is one tool that helps us understand how a student’s disability impacts their educational experience and informs our collaborative discussions about reasonable accommodations. While documentation can provide valuable context, one of the most important aspects of the process is each student’s own description of their experiences and barriers.
Examples of different types of Disability-related Documentation that may contain relevant information:
- Neuropsychological or psycho-educational evaluation
- Medical Records, including vision assessment, audiology report, etc.
- Letter from an appropriate healthcare professional, on letterhead which confirms a diagnosis/impact of the disability
3rd Party Documentation Forms
To assist students and healthcare providers with this process, DAS has created specific forms that Healthcare Providers can use to provide information:
Students may also elect to obtain a letter from their healthcare provider with the information below. Please note, as part of the interactive process, if sufficient documentation is not submitted, DAS staff may ask for additional information to make an approval determination.
General Documentation Guidelines
- Healthcare Provider
- Documentation must be completed by a licensed or certified professional with expertise in the area of the diagnosed disability (e.g., physician, psychologist, psychiatrist, therapist, speech-language pathologist).
- The provider cannot be a family member.
- Documents should list the provider's name, signature, title/credentials and contact information
- Current and Relevant Information
- Documentation should be recent enough to reflect the current impact of the disability (generally within the last three years, though this may vary based on condition and stability).
- Comprehensice Description of Disability
- A clear diagnosis, including DSM-5 or ICD-10 codes when applicable.
- A description of how the disability impacts major life activities and the student's ability to function in an academic, residential, dining or campus setting.
- Functional Limitations
- Documentation must describe specific functional limitations and their impact on the student’s educational or residential experience.
- Limitations should be described in relation to learning, classroom engagement, testing, housing, dining, or other university-related activities.