Students requesting disability-related accommodations via the Disability Resource Center (DRC) are required to provide diagnostic documentation from a licensed clinical professional familiar with the history and functional implications of their respective disabilities. IEPs are not considered appropriate documentation. Disability documentation must adequately verify the nature and extent of the disability in accordance with current professional standards and techniques, and it must clearly substantiate the need for all of the student's specific accommodation requests.
All documentation must be submitted on the official letterhead of the professional describing the disability. The report should be dated and signed and include the name, title, and professional credentials of the evaluator, including information about license or certification.
If the original documentation is incomplete or inadequate to determine the extent of the disability or reasonable accommodation, UIC has the discretion to require additional documentation. Any cost incurred in obtaining additional documentation when the original records are inadequate is borne by the student. If the documentation is complete but UIC desires a second professional opinion, UIC bears the latter cost. In general, it is not acceptable for such documentation to include a diagnosis or testing performed by a member of the student's family. Additionally, students requesting accommodations for the manifestations of multiple disabilities must provide evidence of all such conditions.
Disability documentation submitted to the Disability Resource Center should conform to the criteria listed on the following pages.
Mobility, systemic or other health-related disabilities
- An identification of the disabling condition(s).
- An assessment of the functionally limiting manifestations of the condition(s) for which accommodations are being requested.
- Suggestions as to how the functionally limiting manifestations of the disabling condition(s) may be accommodated.
Deafness or hearing loss
- An audiological evaluation and/or audiogram.
- An interpretation of the functional implications of the diagnostic data and hearing aid evaluation, when appropriate.
- Suggestions as to how the functionally limiting manifestations of the disabling condition(s) may be accommodated.
Low vision or blindness
- An ocular assessment or evaluation from an ophthalmologist.
- A low-vision evaluation of residual visual function, when appropriate.
- Suggestions as to how the functionally limiting manifestations of the disabling condition(s) may be accommodated.
Learning disability
Documentation must be from a professional who has undergone comprehensive training and has relevant experience in differential diagnosis of a full range of cognitive and psychiatric disabilities (e.g., licensed clinical psychologists and neuropsychologists). Documentation must include, but is not restricted to the following:
- Diagnostic Interview
Including a description of the presenting disability/disabilities; developmental, medical, psycho-social and employment histories; family history (including primary language of the home and the student's current level of English fluency); and a discussion of comorbidity where indicated.
- Assessment
To illustrate a substantial limitation to learning, the comprehensive assessment battery must contain the following domains:
- Aptitude/Cognitive Ability
An assessment of global intellectual functioning as measured by the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-III (WAIS-III) with all subtests and standard scores.
- Academic Achievement
A comprehensive achievement battery (e.g., Woodcock-Johnson Psychoeducational Battery - Revised: Tests of Achievement) with subtest and standard scores, indicating current level of functioning in the academic areas of reading, math, oral and written language.
- Information Processing
A comprehensive battery (e.g. Woodcock-Johnson Psychoeducational Battery - Revised: Tests of Cognitive Abilities) with subtest and standard scores which addresses the specific areas of short and long-term memory, sequential memory, auditory and visual perception, processing speed, executive functioning, and motor ability.
- A specific diagnosis conforming to DSM-IV criteria for a specific learning disability.
- A clinical summary which: (a.) indicates the substantial limitations to major life activities posed by the specified learning disability, (b.) describes the extent to which these limitations impact the academic context for which accommodations are being requested, (c.) suggests how the specific effects of the learning disability may be accommodated, and (d.) states how the effects of the learning disability are mediated by the recommended accommodations.
- e. Testing must be current: Within the past three years for a high school student and within the past five years for an adult.
Attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
Documentation must be from a professional who has undergone comprehensive training and has relevant experience in differential diagnosis. Preferably the documentation should come from a psychologist, neuropsychologist, psychiatrist or another relevantly trained medical doctor. The documentation must include:
- Evidence of early impairment. The condition must have been exhibited in childhood in more than one setting.
- Evidence of current impairment. A history of the individual's presenting attentional symptoms and evidence of current impulsive/hyperactive or inattentive behaviors that significantly impair functioning in two or more settings must be provided.
- A diagnostic interview. The interview must contain self-report, and third party information pertaining to: developmental history, family history of ADHD or other learning or psychological difficulties, relevant medical and medication history, a thorough academic history, a review of prior psychoeducational test reports to determine whether a pattern of strengths or weaknesses is supportive of attention or learning problems.
- Evidence of alternative diagnoses or explanations being ruled out. The documentation must investigate and discuss the possibility of dual diagnoses and alternative or coexisting mood, behavioral, neurological and/or personality disorders that may confound the ADHD diagnosis.
- Neuropsychological or psychoeducational assessments needed to determine the current impact of the disorder on the individual's ability to function in an academic setting. Such data should include subtest and standard scores.
- A specific psychological diagnosis as per the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV (DSM-IV). Symptoms of hyperactivity/impulsivity which were present in childhood, and the current symptoms which have been present for at least the past six months and which impair functioning in two or more settings (e.g., school, work, home) must also be identified.
- An indication of whether or not the student was evaluated while on medication, and whether or not the prescribed treatment produced a positive response.
- A clinical summary which: (a.) indicates the substantial limitations to major life activities posed by the disability, (b.) describes the extent to which these limitations would impact the academic context for which accommodations are being requested, (c.) suggests how the specific effects of the disability may be accommodated, and (d.) states how the effects of ADHD are mediated by the recommended accommodations.
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) or brain insult
Documentation must be from a neuropsychologist. The documentation must include:
- A thorough neuropsychological evaluation which includes assessment of the areas of attention, visuoperception/visual reasoning, language, academic skills, memory/learning, executive function, sensory, motor, and emotional status. Data should include subtest scores and percentiles.
- Evidence of current impairment. A history of the individual's presenting symptoms and evidence of behaviors that significantly impair functioning.
- A diagnostic interview. The interview must contain self-report and third-party information pertaining to: developmental history, family history, learning or psychological difficulties, relevant medical history, and a thorough academic history.
- Evidence of alternative diagnoses or explanations being ruled out. The documentation must investigate and discuss the possibility of dual diagnoses and alternative or coexisting mood, learning, behavioral, and/or personality disorders that may confound the diagnosis.
- A specific psychological diagnosis as per the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual - IV (DSM-IV).
- A clinical summary which:
- indicates the substantial limitations to major life activities posed by the disability
- describes the extent to which these limitations would impact the academic context for which accommodations are being requested
- suggests how the specific effects of the disability may be accommodated
- states how the effects of the disability are mediated by the recommended accommodations.
Psychiatric disability
Documentation must be from a licensed psychologist, psychiatrist, or licensed clinical social worker. The documentation must include:
- A specific, current psychiatric diagnosis as per the DSM-IV which indicates the nature, frequency and severity of the symptoms upon which the diagnosis was predicated. A diagnosis without an explicit listing of current symptoms is not sufficient. Primary and secondary Axis I and Axis II diagnoses are required.
- Prescribed medications, dosages and schedules which may influence the types of accommodations provided.
- A clinical summary which: (a.) indicates the substantial limitations to major life activities posed by the psychiatric disability, (b.) describes the extent to which these limitations would impact the academic context for which accommodations are being requested, (c.) suggests how the specific effects of the psychiatric disability may be accommodated, and (d.) states how the effects of the psychiatric disability are mediated by the recommended accommodations.
Revised 13 August 2008
