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Documentation guidelines for people Chronic Health Impairments

Students who are requesting Disability Support Services (DSS) from the University of North Carolina at Pembroke are required to submit documentation to verify eligibility under the ADA of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Students must provide documentation that meets the University’s guidelines to become eligible for services. The following guidelines are provided in the interest of ensuring that the documentation is complete and appropriate.

 

1. A specific statement of the condition must be stated within the documentation submitted. The report should describe the type and severity of the individual's symptoms at the time of first diagnosis, and state the approximate date of their onset. It should describe the subsequent progress and treatment of the condition. A statement should be included indicating the current status of the condition and any relevance to the institutional setting.

 

2. Disability Support Services encourages entering students to complete a full evaluation just prior to attending The University of North Carolina at Pembroke. If this is not possible, we encourage the evaluation to have been completed within the past three years for students just graduating high school.

 

3. The evaluation must be performed by a professional who is knowledgeable about the condition and qualified to make appropriate recommendations. This would include physicians, neurologists, licensed clinical and rehabilitation psychologists, neuropsychologists, and psychiatrists. This documentation must be made and signed by a medical or mental health practitioner who is 1) not immediately related to the student, and 2) licensed/certified in the area for which the diagnosis is made.

 

4. It is preferred that individuals who are 17 years of age or older be tested using diagnostic instruments normed for adults. Documentation that is more than three years old will be considered individually. All documentation will be handled on a case-by-case basis, and students may be required to submit more recent documentation.

 

5. If a summary of cognitive and achievement measures is included, then the assessment, and any resulting diagnosis, should consist of and be based on a comprehensive assessment battery which does not rely on any one test or subtest. Evidence of a substantial limitation to learning or other major life activity must be provided. Both aptitude and academic achievement must be evaluated and included in the test report. The following tests are considered acceptable:

• Aptitude: WAIS-III; Stanford-Binet V; Woodcock-Johnson Psychoeducational Battery III NU: Tests of Cognitive Ability
• Academic Achievement: Woodcock-Johnson Psychoeducational Battery III NU: Tests of Achievement; Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (WIAT); Stanford Test of Academic Skills (TASK); Scholastic Abilities Test for Adults (SATA)
  
  * The Wide Range Achievement Test-3 (WRA T-3) is not a comprehensive measure of achievement and therefore should not be used as a sole measure of achievement.

6. Specific cognitive processing strengths, weaknesses, and deficits should be discussed. Clear documentation of deficit areas is necessary in order for the college to provide appropriate, reasonable accommodations. Please discuss the following processing areas:

• Visual spatial abilities
• Memory (auditory and visual; short-term and long term)
• Fine Motor/dexterity (speed/sequence of motor patterns)
• Executive functions (verbal and nonverbal reasoning). It is also helpful to know about the student's cognitive flexibility and automaticity with cognitive tasks. Selective attention / perception (auditory and visual)

7. The report should detail any currently prescribed or recommended and on-going treatment or care.

 

8. The report should describe the manner and level of severity with which the disability currently impacts general functioning and any physical limitations on learning or other major life activity and the degree to which it impacts the individual in the learning context for which accommodations are being requested.

 

9. Medical information relating to the student's needs to include the impact of medication on the student's ability to meet the demands of the post-secondary environment.

 

10. A comprehensive summary must include the following information:

• Names of the assessment instruments used
• Quantitative and qualitative information which supports the diagnosis
• The areas of educational impact and the severity of the condition
• Previous history of the disability and verification of any previous testing
• Record of prior accommodations or auxiliary aids
• Recommendations for accommodations with explanation for the recommendation
• Notation of medications prescribed, if any, and potential impact on learning
• Additional observations or recommendations which could assist us in adequately serving the student
• The names, titles, addresses, and phone numbers of the evaluator(s), as well as date(s) of testing

A comprehensive summary may include a summary of Performance (SOP) as supportive evidence to substantiate a disability.

 

 

The aforementioned guidelines are provided so that DSS can respond appropriately to the individual needs of the student. Disability Support Services reserves the right to determine eligibility for services based on the quality of the submitted documentation. All documentation is confidential.

 

Please submit documentation and/or inquires to:

 

Disability Support Services
The University of North Carolina at Pembroke
Disability Support Services
PO Box 1510
Pembroke, NC 28372-1510
Phone/Voice: (910) 521-6695
Fax: (910) 521- 6891
TTY: (910) 521-6490
Email: dss@uncp.edu

 

Once you obtain an assessment report that meets the guidelines provided:

 

1. You must submit documentation to Disability Support Services.
2. You must complete the Student Intake form.
3. Disability Support Services staff will review your documentation; we will then send you a letter that explains the decision reached.
a. If your documentation does not meet the University’s guidelines, additional information may be requested at the student’s expense.
b. If your documentation does meet the University’s guidelines, you will be advised to schedule an appointment with DSS to begin working with this office.

 

 

Revised 9/07 

 

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