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Documentation Guidelines

The Office of Accessibility Resources (OAR) uses disability-related documentation as one part of the interactive process to determine reasonable accommodations. Documentation should describe how the disability impacts the student in a higher education environment so that appropriate accommodations can be identified.

The type of documentation needed varies depending on the disability and the accommodations being requested. Documentation may include, but is not limited to:

  • A psychological or neuropsychological evaluation
  • Summary letter from a treating provider
  • An Individualized Education Program (IEP)
  • A Section 504 Plan
  • Other documentation that describes the functional impact of the disability

A summary letter from your treating medical or mental health provider may also be submitted. To help us better understand your accommodation needs, we recommend that the letter be written on professional letterhead and include the following information, as applicable:

  • Diagnosis
  • Brief history of the condition
  • Description of how the disability affects the student in an academic or campus environment
  • Recommended accommodations and the rationale for those recommendations (if available)

If you have any questions about documentation and what to provide, please contact the office so we can guide you through this step of the process. 

Documentation can be submitted to the office through the following ways:

Upon receipt of documentation, an e-mail containing further directions will be sent to the student’s Ship e-mail address.

Important Notes regarding Documentation

  • OAR reviews all documentation as part of the interactive process. More detailed documentation helps us better understand how the disability impacts the student in an academic setting and assists us in identifying appropriate accommodations.
  • Documentation is reviewed in the order it is received. Because the eligibility review process takes time, accommodations cannot typically be approved the same day documentation is submitted.
  • Incoming students are encouraged to begin the accommodation process as early as possible before the start of the semester. Current students may request accommodations at any time but should submit requests as soon as they recognize a need.
  • Accommodations provided in college may differ from those received in high school. While IEPs and 504 Plans are valuable sources of information, accommodations in higher education are determined under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and are based on the student's current functional limitations in the university environment.
  • In some cases, OAR may request additional documentation or clarification if more information is needed to determine eligibility or appropriate accommodations.