November 8, 2009

Criteria for Disability Documentation

The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 state that qualified students with disabilities who meet the technical and academic standards at Auburn University maybe entitled to reasonable accommodations. Under these laws a disability is defined as a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits a major life activity. The Program for Students with Disabilities at Auburn University does not provide disability documentation for students. It is the student’s responsibility to provide appropriate documentation to this office and to request accommodations. The professional conducting the evaluation cannot be a relative of the student. In all cases, the quality and appropriateness of the documentation given the student’s age and requested accommodations will be considered.

Specific Considerations:

1. ADHD Documentation Requirements

2. Blindness and Low Vision Documentation Requirements

3. Deafness and Hard of Hearing Documentation Requirements

4. Health Condition Documentation Requirements

5. Learning Disability Documentation Requirements

6. Physical/Mobilty Disability Documentation Requirements

7. Psychological Disability Documentation Requirements

8. Traumatic Brain Injury Documentation Requirements

General Considerations:

1. These criteria will be effective for all new clients who are staffed in or following August 2008; students declared eligible prior to this date may be asked to supplement existing documentation if a request for additional accommodation or action is made.

2. PSD staff reserves the right to accept documentation which varies from the above criteria, but is professionally sound and of high quality, or conversely to reject current documentation viewed as inadequate to support the requested accommodation. At the same time, two sets of similar documentation may not support the same accommodations for two individual students with differing skills, coping strategies, and personal characteristics.

3. The above tests are recommended; others may be appropriate. Screening tests (i.e. Wide Range Achievement Test -R) and group achievement tests (i.e. SAT, ACT, GRE, etc.) will not be accepted as documentation of a disability.

4. Students with obvious severe disabilities will be served pending receipt of documentation.

5. Clients of Adult Vocational Rehabilitation Services (AVRS) may or may not be eligible for services, depending upon the disability documentation provided by AVRS. Students will be referred to the AVRS counselor if the documentation is insufficient to support requested accommodations.

6. Students who had an IEP or 504 Plan in high school may or may not be eligible for services, depending upon the disability documentation provided. Testing may be too old, not thorough enough, and/or the diagnosis may be unclear.

7. Students will be notified of their status (eligible, ineligible, deferred) after PSD staff has reviewed the documentation and received personal contact from the student either by completing the PSD intake form, email, or phone call. If the student is ineligible or deferred, an email will be sent to the student’s university email address explaining what additional documentation is needed. If a student is determined eligible, the student will be contacted by email; then it is the student’s responsibility to make an appointment to discuss reasonable accommodations. Accommodations will not be initiated prior to this meeting (i.e. priority registration, extended time on tests, etc.).

PSD Revised 10-08