Documentation Guidelines

Students who would like to apply for reasonable accommodations and services at Moravian University must self-disclose their disabilities by completing an Intake Form and submit supporting documentation to determine eligibility under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the ADAAA.

Understanding the Office of Disability and Accommodations Process:

  • Once the student submits their materials, the Office of Disability and Accommodations will evaluate the documentation to determine eligibility based on the quality, recency, and completeness of the documentation submitted. 
  • For outdated materials that are incomplete or do not support the student's request for accommodations, the Office of Disability and Accommodations may ask the student to provide additional documentation. 
  • In addition to submitting supporting documentation, the review process also includes a personal interview as part of an interactive process with the student. During the interview, the Office of Disability and Accommodations staff considers the student’s self-report, strengths and needs, academic experiences, the current program of study, enrolled courses, and the student’s ideas regarding accommodations.
  • We encourage students to disclose their disability as early as possible but will happily receive the student's Intake Form and supporting documentation at any time.  Students who chose to self-disclose by July 15 or a few weeks before their first semester often provide enough time to have accommodations in place by the fall semester.  The Office of Disability and Accommodations encourages this proactive process.

Due to the high volume of activity in the Office of Disability and Accommodations during the first few weeks of a new semester, students who submit their documentation materials during that period may experience a delay in having their materials reviewed and accommodations implemented.   

The following guidelines assure that documentation is complete and accurate.  

  1. Relevancy
    Documentation must be current and dated within three years of requesting accommodations as this is an individual process.  If documentation is beyond a three-year window, there may be circumstances in which it is appropriate and relevant.  Documentation beyond the three-year window often does not include updated medical information and refers to a student's elementary and middle school experience.  Documentation from the student's elementary and middle school experience does not provide enough information relevant to the high school educational experience.  It also does not identify the functional limitations and accommodations needed.    
     
  2. Qualified Professionals
    Qualified professionals who have direct experience with the disability must complete the evaluation.  The evaluation must contain the following information:
     
    1. Date(s) of evaluation, visit, or service.
    2. The evaluation should be typed on the healthcare provider letterhead and contain the name, title, credentials, and state and license number of the professional, be dated and signed with an actual and legible signature. 
    3. The Office of Disability and Accommodations will not accept handwritten documentation and notes written on a prescription pad. 
    4. Health care providers completing and providing medical documentation cannot be a family member or relative of the student. 
       
  3. Diagnostic Statement
    The evaluation should include a clear diagnostic statement identifying the disability, a description of the diagnostic methodology, and the tools used.  It also should describe the diagnosis process, the progression, and the prognosis of the diagnosis.
     
  4. Elements of a Comprehensive Evaluation
    The elements of a comprehensive evaluation typically include the following:
     
    1. Evidence of existing impairment.
    2. Background information 
    3. Relevant testing using multiple measures and an interpretation of results.
    4. Specific diagnosis.
    5. Provide information that rules out an alternative diagnosis or explanation
    6. Integrated summary including recommendations.
       
  5. Functional Limitations
    The evaluator should discuss how the disabling condition impacts the individual, the level of impairment to regular life activity regarding the severity, frequency, and pervasiveness of the condition, and a rationale for how these are logically related to the condition requested accommodations.  
     
  6. Expected Progression or Stability
    The evaluator should describe the expected progression or stability of the disability (i.e., any expected changes in the functional impact of the disability over time, context, and response to an environmental trigger). In addition, information on interventions may be helpful.
     
  7. Current or Past Accommodations, Services, and medications
    The evaluator should note any current or prior accommodations, support services, auxiliary aids, medications, etc., and their effects on the functional impact of the disability.  While these are not binding on the current institution, they may provide insight for everyday planning purposes.  This information is essential for transfer students. 
     
  8. Recommendations for Current Accommodations and Strategies
    1. The recommendations should be specific recommendations and link to a rationale for the accommodations.
    2. Include a description of the impact of diagnosed disability on specific significant life activity.
    3. Specific test results or clinical observations should support the recommendations.


Important to Note:

  • An Individualized Education Program (IEP) or a 504 Plan is not sufficient documentation of a disability as it only provides educational documentation and does not provide the necessary medical information needed.  
  • Prior history of any unique accommodation may not warrant its continued provision. 

 

Specific Documentation Guidelines:


ADHD:  

  • The evaluation report must specify a specific diagnosis of ADHD based on DSM-V criteria and with the corresponding DSM codes.   
  • Developmental History:  Presenting problems, medical concerns, developmental history, etc.
  • ADHD Diagnostic Scale:  The evaluator should include one or more scales specific to ADHD symptoms and diagnostic criteria. In addition, the ASC suggests that the evaluator provide a comprehensive evaluation that includes tests of intelligence, cognitive/information processing, and academic achievement to determine the current impact on the student's academic performance.  
  • Provider Interpretations and Recommendations:  
    • The provider should discuss the student's significant attentional concerns, cognitive ability, achievement, and information processing to explain ADHD.
    • The provider should include a statement about how ADHD substantially impacts learning or other significant life activity and how it affects the individual’s education.
    • The provider should indicate their rationale for the recommendation of specific accommodations and how to accommodate the effects of ADHD.
    • A statement regarding how medication (if appropriate) may or may not mitigate the attentional disorder.


Learning Disabilities:

  • Developmental History:  Presenting problems, medical concerns, developmental history, etc.
  • Assessment of Intellectual Functioning:  Including the reporting of all standard scores of one or more intellectual assessments.
  • Assessment of Academic Achievement:  A comprehensive academic achievement battery, including current, relevant areas, such as reading, mathematics, and written language.
  • Evaluation of Information Processing:  This may include such areas of short- and long-term memory, sequential memory, auditory and visual perception/processing, processing speed, executive functioning.
  • Specific Diagnosis:  The report should include clear language if the evaluator diagnoses and documents a learning disability.  The evaluator should avoid using terms such as "suggests" and "indicates" a learning disability.
  • Standardized Scores:  Findings should document the nature and severity of the learning disability.  Data should logically reflect a substantial limitation to learning.  Standard scores and percentiles should be included and should correlate with identified functional limitations and recommendations for accommodations.
  • Provider Interpretations and Recommendations:  
    • The provider should discuss the student's cognitive ability, achievement, and information processing to explain the presence of a learning disability.
    • The provider should include a statement about how the learning disability substantially impacts learning or other significant life activity and how it affects the individual’s education.
    • Include an indication of why specific accommodations are needed and how to accommodate the particular disability.


Physical/Medical Disability:

  • Provide a clear statement of the diagnosis of the medical or physical disability.
  • Provide historical data, including the date of the initial identification and the date of the current evaluation.
  • A summary of assessment procedures and evaluation instruments used to make the diagnosis.
  • Provide descriptions of current symptoms and features and include the severity of the disability and expected duration.
  • Information regarding significant life activities and specific academic functions affected by the disability in a college setting (e.g., walking, seeing, hearing, performing manual tasks, learning, concentrating, attending class, meeting deadlines, etc.)
  • Provide the name of the medication and treatment information, the date prescribed, and any side effects that may impact the student’s ability to function in a college setting.
  • Provide recommendations regarding reasonable accommodations or services appropriate at the college level, including a clear rationale and justification for those accommodations.

Psychological Disabilities:

  • The medical provider should provide a comprehensive assessment that includes the disability and the DSM-V diagnosis.
  • The medical provider should provide a summary of assessment procedures and evaluation instruments used to make the diagnosis.
  • The medical provider should summarize the evaluation results and provide information regarding the severity of the disability and the specific academic functions affected across college settings (e.g., work completion, concentrating, class attendance, social interactions, self-care, etc.).
  • Include information on current medication, including side effects, date prescribed, and other available treatments.
  • The medical provider should provide recommendations for accommodations, including a rationale based on specific features/symptoms of the disability.

Forms:

If a report is not readily available, you may use one of the forms listed below to begin the conversation with your medical provider, as it may be a convenient way to collect all the necessary information to describe how your disability impacts you.