UTMB School of Allied Health Sciences
Appropriate Documentation for Consideration of Accommodations Request

Appropriate documentation is required of each individual requesting accommodation to ensure consistent and appropriate services based on the individual needs.

A.        A report must be obtained from an appropriate certified specialist capable of diagnosing the particular disability/disorder.

B.         Sensor, physical or other health impairments are required to provide written documentation in the form of medical reports or a letter from a physician detailing the disability.

1. Documentation should include any functional limitations as a result of a disability and specify how they might impact the student in an academic setting.

2. Specific recommendations for reasonable accommodations for the student, which must correlate with the functional limitations associated with the disability, must be included.

3. Documentation must be provided even if the condition is temporary (e.g. broken leg, dislocated shoulder, etc.,)

4. With a temporary disability, an estimated date must be included in order to review continuation/termination of services.

C.        Learning disabilities require a neuropsychological or psychoeducational evaluation for the diagnosis of a specific learning disability.

1.         Documentation must be submitted on letterhead of the qualified professional and it must provide clear and specific evidence of a learning disability. Objective evidence of a substantial limitation to learning must be included.

2.         Minimally, domains to be addressed must include measurement of aptitude, achievement and information processing.

a.         A complete IQ battery is required with all subtests and standard scores. The preferred instrument is the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale III.

b.         A complete achievement battery is required with all subtests and standard scores. Acceptable instruments include; Woodcock-Johnson Psychoeducational Battery-Revised; Tests of Achievement, Wechsler Individual Achievement Test, Stanford Test of Academic Skills, Scholastic Abilities Test for Adults, etc. The Wide Range Achievement Test-Revised is not a comprehensive measure of achievement, and therefore is not preferable if used as the sole measure of achievement.

c.         Specific cognitive processing strengths, weaknesses, and deficits (e.g. short and long term memory; sequential memory; auditory and visual perception/processing; processing speed; executive functioning; motor ability) must be assessed. Acceptable instruments include Wechsler Memory Scales III, Detroit Test of Learning Aptitude-3, information from subtests on the WAIS III or the Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Cognitive Ability and other instruments relevant to the presenting learning problems.

d.         Individual learning styles, learning differences and academic problems, in and of themselves, do not constitute a learning disability. The nature and severity of the functional limitation(s) must be supported by the test data, academic history, anecdotal and clinical observations that may include the student’s level of motivation, study skills and other non-cognitive factors. These findings must support the fact that the individual’s functional limitations are due to the stated disabilities.

3.         Suggestions/recommendations for academic accommodations regarding curriculum, as well as, testing situations should also be included. Each recommended accommodation should be correlated with specific test results or clinical observations.

D.        Psychiatric disabilities require documentation from a licensed psychologist or psychiatrist or a licensed clinical social worker on his/her letterhead.

1. The documentation submitted must include a DSM-IV diagnosis as well as diagnostic code(s).

2. An explanation of how the condition may affect the student in an academic setting must be addressed.

3. Suggestions for reasonable accommodations that are correlated to the specific functional limitations of the individual should be included.

4. Information regarding current medications and possible side effects which would/could interfere with the academic progress of the student should also be addressed.

E.         Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD/ADHD) documentation must be made and signed by a licensed and qualified professional on his/her letterhead.

1. Documentation must be in the form of a DSM-IV diagnosis and include diagnostic codes, and the specific subtype. (A Multi-axial diagnostic format is preferred.)

2. Names of the assessment instrument(s).

3. Quantitative and qualitative information that supports the diagnosis.

4. The individual’s functional limitations related to ADD/ADHD.

5. The areas of educational impact and the severity of the condition

6. Suggestions for reasonable accommodations, which are correlated, to the specific functional limitations of the individual.

7. Information regarding current medications and possible side effects which would/could interfere with the academic progress of the student.