Documentation Guidelines
Moravian University requires students with documentation disabilities to self-disclose their disabilities to the college in order to receive academic, housing, program, and other accommodations. We encourage students to disclose their disability at the start of the semester, but will happily receive your disclosure and disability documentation at any time.
Click this link to access the documentation guidelines for disclosing a disability or read them below:
DISABILITY DOCUMENTATION GUIDELINES
Please submit an integrated summary that includes the following information. This summary should be provided from the healthcare professional (doctor, therapist, etc.) or from the educational system (i.e. school psychologist).
❏ Date of evaluation and/or visit.
❏ Credentials of evaluator (title and license number)
❏ Clear statement of diagnosis; how condition was diagnosed; and progression and prognosis of diagnosis.
❏ Description of symptoms and current functional limitations related to diagnosis.
❏ Description of how the symptoms and functional limitations impact academic life in a post-secondary setting.
❏ Description of current and past accommodations, services, or medications that are being used to treat symptoms.
❏ A list of recommended accommodations, adaptive devices, assistive services, and/or other supports that address symptoms and functional limitations. In addition to the above information, for specific diagnosis areas, we recommend the following in order to receive appropriate and reasonable accommodations:
Learning Disabilities/Diagnosis
❏ Specific Diagnostic methodology used: A complete assessment of intellectual functioning/aptitude, preferably, but not limited to the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-III (WAIS-III) with standard and scaled scores, including subtest scores. The Woodcock-Johnson III: Tests of Cognitive Ability or the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale: Fifth Edition is also acceptable.
❏ A comprehensive academic achievement battery that measures current levels of functioning in reading (decoding and comprehension), mathematics and oral and written language (e.g., Woodcock-Johnson III: Tests of Achievement, Wechsler Individual Achievement Test II (WIAT II), Stanford Test of Academic Skills (TASK), Scholastic Abilities Test for Adults (SATA), or specific achievement tests - Test of Written Language-3 (TOWL-3), Woodcock Reading Mastery Tests-Revised/NU, Stanford Diagnostic Mathematics Test, Nelson-Denny). All standard scores, standard deviations and percentiles is recommended.
❏ An assessment of specific areas of information processing (e.g., short- and long-term memory, sequential memory, sequential and simultaneous processing, auditory and visual perception/processing, processing speed, working memory, motor ability). Information from subtests on the WAIS-III, the WJIII Tests of Cognitive Ability, or the Detroit Tests of Learning Aptitude - Adult (DTLA-A), as well as other instruments relevant to the presenting learning problem(s) may be used to address these areas.
❏ Other assessment measures such as non-standard measures and informal assessment procedures or observations may be helpful in determining performance across a variety of domains. Formal assessment instruments may be integrated with these types of measures to help determine a learning disability and differentiate it from co-existing neurological and/or psychiatric disorders (i.e., to establish a differential diagnosis). In addition to standardized tests, it is also very useful to include informal observations of the student during the test administration.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
❏ Specific Diagnostic methodology used: A discussion of the neuropsychological or psycho-educational assessments administered to determine the current impact of the diagnosis on the student's ability to function in an academic setting. Such data should include standard scores, standard deviations and percentiles reported in table format for those subtests administered.
❏ A specific psychiatric diagnosis as per the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-IV TR (DSM-IVTR) of the American Psychiatric Association (2000). Symptoms of hyperactivity/impulsivity which were present in childhood and the current symptoms which have been present for at least the past six months and which impair functioning in two or more settings (e.g., school, work, and home) is recommended.
Physical, Medical, Mobility Disabilities/Diagnosis
❏ Specific Diagnostic methodology used: Description of methods used to diagnose including interview information, tests administered (include names of tests), and other.
❏ Medical information relating the to the student’s needs in the postsecondary environment.
❏ Impact of medication on the student’s ability to meet the demands of the postsecondary environment.
❏ Any relevant tests or information on medical condition in terms of severity of symptoms, flare-ups, how often the flare-ups could occur, management of flare-up conditions.
Psychological and/or Psychiatric Disabilities/Diagnosis
❏ Specific Diagnostic methodology used: Description of methods used to diagnose including interview information, tests administered (include names of tests), and other.
❏ Description of major life activities or impacts specific to the psychological diagnosis.
❏ Impact of medication on the student’s ability to meet the demands of the postsecondary environment.
❏ Prognosis for therapeutic interventions, list of what the student has tried and work/didn’t work, and list of any interventions student is recommended to take part in
❏ Describe whether the student currently pose threat to themselves or others. Housing and Residence Hall Accommodations Requests In addition to the information above on the specific diagnosis information, the following information is needed to process housing and residence hall requests
❏ Severity of the Condition.
❏ Statement on whether or not condition is life threatening if the request is not met.
❏ Statement on the impact on academic performance and social development as related to the request.
❏ Provide information on the requested accommodations including housing configurations to meet the student’s functional limitations/needs.
Emotional Support Animals
Emotional support animals (ESA) serve as a therapeutic accommodation in the residence halls. In addition to the information required under the psychological/psychiatric diagnosis section above, the following information is needed: (Please note that failure to provide all the required information will delay the process until such time as the information is fully received).
❏ Name of Animal
❏ Type of Animal
❏ Size of Animal
❏ Age of Animal
❏ A description of the relationship between the student requesting and animal in terms of therapeutic impacts.
❏ Statement the animal is specifically prescribed as part of treatment for the student’s diagnosis.
❏ Description of how student’s well-being is impacted with and without animal in residence hall.
Dietary or Dining Hall Requests
In addition to the information required under the medical diagnosis section above, the following information is needed:
❏ Clear description of the diet recommended due to medical diagnosis. This should include a specific list of foods the student can enjoy and/or avoid in relation to the medical diagnosis.
❏ Clear description of any health risks or hazards, and/or allergies related to dietary needs.
As part of the interactive process, students requesting meal plan changes or exemptions to the meal plan may be required to meet with the nutritionist, dining staff, and/or Health Center to determine how Moravian University can best accommodate your dining needs.