Documentation Guidelines

To receive academic accommodations, Skidmore students must identify the disability, provide adequate documentation of the disability and work with the coordinator of student access services to develop an appropriate plan. All information provided concerning a disability is confidential and is released only as allowed by law or by consent.

The guidelines outlined below are provided in the interest of assuring that students submit documentation that is appropriate to the purpose of determining eligibility for disability services. Skidmore requires documentation that supports each request for reasonable accommodations on the basis that a student's disability substantially limits one or more major life activity.

More documentation may be required depending on the range and variability of functional limitation within any given disability; less documentation may be required for permanent stable and/or narrow conditions. Documentation provided by a third party must be prepared by a (non-relative) professional qualified to diagnose and treat the impairment leading to the disability. Documentation should validate the need for services based on the individual's current level of functioning in the educational setting. In all cases, the student's personal accounts concerning their functional limitations will be considered as part of the documentation review.

As appropriate to the disability, documentation should include:

Diagnostic Statement

A diagnostic statement identifying the specific disability including identification of how the condition substantially impairs a life function, the date of the current evaluation and the date of the original diagnosis. Psychiatric diagnoses, including ADHD, must include the DSM diagnosis and a summary of current symptoms. Clear identification of a disability is necessary. Language indicating preferred learning styles, difficulties or the possibility of a disability or diagnosis is not sufficient.

Diagnostic Criteria and Tests

Testing must be comprehensive and sufficiently recent to allow determination of the current impact of the disability in the college academic setting. Psycho-educational assessment of aptitude, academic achievement and informational processing as well as neuropsychological reports should accompany a student's request for accommodation.

Functional Impact

A description of the current functional impact on physical, perceptual and/or cognitive functioning should be described.

Treatments

Currently prescribed treatments, medications, assistive devices and auxiliary aid and services should be included.

Recommendations

Recommendations for accommodations should be supported by objective evidence of substantial limitation to learning and living in a post secondary academic environment. Student report of the efficacy of academic adjustments, auxiliary aids or services, or accommodations will also be considered.