Academic Support Services

GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR DOCUMENTATION of a DISABILITY

In order to fully evaluate requests for accommodations or to determine eligibility for services, the Student Academic Support Services (SASS) needs documentation of your disability.  The documentation should include an evaluation by an appropriate professional that makes evident the current impact of the disability as it relates to the accommodation(s) requested.

The general guidelines listed below are developed to assist you in working with your treating/diagnosing professional(s) to prepare information needed to evaluate your request(s).  If, after reading these guidelines, you have any questions, feel free to call Tina Maroni, Director of Student Academic Support Services at 740-284-5358 or via email at TMaroni@franciscan.edu.

1. A diagnostic statement identifying the disability

   When appropriate, include International Classification of Diseases (ICD) or Diagnostic Statistical Manual (DSM) codes, the date of the most recent evaluation, or the dates of evaluations performed by referring professionals.  If the most recent evaluation was not a full evaluation, indicate when the last full evaluation was conducted. Must be within the last 3 years for all learning disabilities, the last 6 months for psychological or emotional disorders, and within 1 year for ongoing medical disabilities.  

2. Current functional impact of the condition(s)

   The current relevant functional impacts on physical (mobility, dexterity, endurance, etc), perceptual, cognitive (attention, distractibility, communication, etc.), and behavioral abilities should be described as a clinical narrative and/or through the provision of specific results from the diagnostic procedures/assessment.

3. Treatment, medications, accommodations and/or services currently prescribed or in use

   Provide a description of treatments, medications, accommodations and/or services currently in use and their estimated effectiveness in minimizing the impact of the condition(s).  Include any significant side effects that may impact physical, perceptual, behavioral or cognitive performance.  If the diagnosing or treating professional feels any additional accommodations are warranted, please list them along with a clear rationale and related functional limitations.  Any accommodations/auxiliary aids will be taken into consideration, but not automatically implemented.

4. The expected progression or stability of disability over time

   If possible, provide a description of the expected change in the functional impact of the conditions(s) over time.  If the condition is variable, describe the known triggers that may exacerbate the condition.

NOTICE:
No accommodations will be given without current documentation on file in Student Academic Support Services.  Accommodations begin at date of properly documented students receiving an eligibility letter from Director of Student Academic Support Services.