Documentation Guidelines

Office for Students
with Disabilities

at

Florida Atlantic University

WELCOME

Welcome to the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) at Florida Atlantic University (FAU). The mission of the OSD is to support students with disabilities in their pursuit of equity and excellence in education. The OSD works with FAU faculty and staff to ensure that reasonable accommodations are provided to allow this population of students an equal opportunity to learn in the classroom setting and to have access to all areas around the FAU campus.

To be eligible for services at the OSD, a student must satisfy the definition of a disability as established by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Section 504 defines a disability as a condition which substantially limits one or more major life activities such as learning, walking, seeing, hearing, breathing, caring for oneself, and working. To be eligible for accommodations, a student must provide appropriate documentation of each disability that demonstrates an accompanying substantial limitation to one or more major life activities.

In applying for support services, the student with a disability must provide the OSD with appropriate written documentation from a licensed professional in the field concerning the specific diagnosis and expected academic limitations. The submission of appropriate documentation is just one step in the process of registering for support services with the OSD.

The following guidelines are provided in the interest of assuring that the professionals’ statement is appropriate to document eligibility for support services. If the OSD determines that the presented documentation is out-dated, incomplete, or vague, the student must provide appropriate documentation demonstrating the current existence of a disability before support services can be activated.

BASIC DOCUMENTATION GUIDELINES

• Diagnostic reports must be on letterhead paper and include the diagnostician’s name, title, professional credentials, date/s, and signature.
• Licensure/Certificate information, area of specialization, and employment in which province or state should be included.
• Professionals conducting the assessment must be qualified to do so, and it is essential that they have experience in working with an adult population.
• The specific diagnosis of the disability must be clearly stated and explained (not vague, nonspecific, or inconclusive).
• Current symptoms meeting diagnostic criteria must be addressed and appropriate testing results with interpretation should be included.
• The diagnostic report must specify the degree of current functional loss and/or the functional limitations of the disability.
• The diagnostic report must include anticipated effects of the functional limitations within the academic setting.
• The diagnostic report must include suggested recommendations for accommodations or auxiliary aids for the student, including information about the conditions under which they might be used.
• If medications are taken, these should be listed as well as their potential side effects.

The report must be based on evaluation performed within the last 1 to 3 years, depending on the disability. However, the OSD reserves the right to make modifications to this time frame.

DOCTOR’S PRESCRIPTION PAD NOTES
WON’T BE ACCEPTED!!!

ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION GUIDELINES FOR...

Hearing Impairments & Deafness

• Documentation should be in the form of a medical report or physician’s letter. Additionally, an audiological report should be submitted.
• Medical diagnosis should be done by an audiologist or other appropriate medical physician.

Medical Conditions and Physical Impairments

• Documentation should be in the form of either a medical report or physician’s letter.
• Medical diagnosis should be made by an appropriate physician qualified to make the diagnosis.

Psychological & Psychiatric Disabilities

• Documentation should be in the form of a psychological report or a neuropsychological report.
• Diagnosis should be made by a psychologist, psychiatrist, or licensed mental health counselor.
• There should be a specific diagnosis which is consistent with the diagnostic criteria found in the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM).

Speech Impairments

• Documentation should be in the form of a medical report or physician’s letter.
• Diagnosis should be done by a speech pathologist or other appropriate medical physician.

Visual Impairments & Blindness

• Documentation should be in the form of a report or physician’s letter.
• Diagnosis should be done by an ophthalmologist or other appropriate medical physician.

ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES FOR
DOCUMENTING LEARNING DISABILITIES

The documentation must be in the form of a written report based on a psycho-educational evaluation performed by a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist. The domains to be addressed should include (but not be limited to) the following test measures. The evaluation results must demonstrate a significant discrepancy between aptitude and achievement as well as describing processing deficits underlying this discrepancy.

• APTITUDE: The evaluation must utilize an adult scale. The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised (WAIS-R) is the preferred instrument. *If the RAIS is used, additional instruments addressing information processing must be administered.
• ACHIEVEMENT: Current levels of academic functioning in all aspects of reading, mathematics, and written language are required. The Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT) is NOT a comprehensive measure of achievement and is therefore unacceptable.
• INFORMATION PROCESSING AND COMMUNICATION ASSESSMENTS:
  Information processing should be addressed, for example; verbal expression and memory; receptive language; sequential memory; auditory and visual perception; processing speed; and fine motor functioning.
• PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT/
  PERSONALITY TESTING: Although not required, testing such as the MMPI may be done in addition to the three domains already mentioned.
• NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT: Although not required, more extensive neuropsychological testing may provide additional information that is relevant to the diagnosis.

ALSO...

• Written report must include relevant test scores with interpretation and should include background information about the student’s educational, pertinent medical, and family histories that relate to the learning disability.
• A specific learning disability must be clearly diagnosed utilizing DSM codes.

ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTATION GUIDELINES FOR ATTENTION DEFICIT/HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER

The documentation must in the form of a written report based on a psychological evaluation performed by a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist. Documentation must address all of the following four criteria:

1. Reported history of AD/HD symptoms demonstrated during childhood, corroborated by an independent source. This must include interviews and 2 AD/HD behavioral rating scales and may include school records and/or other pertinent background information.
2. Corroboration of current AD/HD symptoms across multiple settings (particularly academic and social) by one or more adults with knowledge of the client’s functioning.
3. Standardized assessment measures of attention are utilized in the diagnosis of AD/HD; i.e. TOVA, Continuous Performance Test, psychological evaluation. Scores must be included.
4. Psychometric instruments or other means are used to exclude differential diagnoses (behavioral, psychological, or physical).

ALSO...

• Summaries of questionnaires, measures, or other clinical data should be included.
• Symptoms meeting diagnostic criteria must be addressed.
• The type of AD/HD needs to be diagnosed per the DSM Diagnostic Code.
• Level of severity of AD/HD needs to be addressed; i.e., mild, moderate, severe.
• Medication (dosage and side effects) and other treatments should be included.
• If diagnosis is associated with a learning disability, this should be identified, and a current, appropriate psychoeducational evaluation should be attached.

Boca/Port St. Lucie:
777 Glades Road, SU Room 133
Boca Raton, FL 33431
Phone (561) 297-3880 Fax (561) 297-2184
TTY (561) 297-0358

Broward Campuses:
2912 College Avenue, MD I Room 104
Davie, FL 33314
Phone (954) 236-1222 Fax (954) 236-1123
TTY (954) 236-1146

Jupiter Campus (Office of Diversity Services):
5353 Parkside Drive, SR Room 117
Jupiter, FL 33458
Phone (561) 799-8585 Fax (561) 799-8721
TTY (561) 799-8565

Website address: www.osd.fau.edu

Alternate format available upon request

Rev 04/06