Requirements for Documenting the Accomodation Needs of Students
Each student requesting an accommodation at Cornell College will need to submit documentation detailing the disability and need for accommodation. Below you will find specific recommendations for those documenting reports. Please feel free to call if you have questions. The disabilities coordinator can be reached at: 319-895-4382. If you feel you may not have adequate documentation, a personal interview may fill in the gaps.
To request accommodations for:
a Physical Disability other than hearing and visual impairments
Send reports to:
Kate Fashimpaur, M.A., LMSW
Coordinator of Academic Support and Advising
Cornell College
600 First Street SW
Mount Vernon, Iowa 52314-1098
Or kfashimpaur@cornellcollege.edu as a PDF document
If you need help locating someone to do the testing, consult this list of local providers. Resources for Testing
Requirements for Professional Reports Documenting
Accommodation Needs of Students with Learning Disabilities
Under section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act of 2008, Student Disability Services (SDS) protects qualified students enrolled at the University of Iowa from discrimination on the basis of disability and assures provision of reasonable accommodations. To do this, SDS requires documentation that diagnoses a disability and describes how the condition directly and
substantially limits a major life function such as learning. The documentation must demonstrate that the condition rises to the level of a disability.
The following documentation requirements establish that the student is eligible for protection and services on the basis of a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity, has a record of such impairment, or is regarded as such. The documentation also supports the student’s request for
accommodations.
All reports must be type written and signed on professional letterhead and include the name, title, and
professional credentials of the evaluator, including license or certification, area of specialization, employment, affiliation, and the state or province of practice. Please note that IEP’s and 504 plans will not be considered documentation, but should be integrated by the professional into the final report.
Components I-IV must be included in the professional report.
I. Qualifications of the Evaluator
Professionals conducting assessments and rendering diagnoses of Learning Disabilities and making
recommendations for accommodations must have comprehensive training and relevant experience with an adult learning disabled population. Examples of such professionals are Clinical, Counseling, Educational,School Psychologists, Neuropsychologists, and relevantly trained Medical Doctors and Learning Disability Specialists. The professional completing the report must be independently licensed or working under the supervision of a licensed professional.
II. Recency of Documentation
Because the provision of all reasonable accommodations and services is based upon our review of the
professional’s assessment of the current impact of the disability on academic performance, it is in a student’s best interest to provide recent and appropriate documentation. This means that the comprehensive evaluation being submitted must have been completed within the past three years.
III. Comprehensive Information that Verifies the Existence of the Condition
A comprehensive evaluation should provide information about the history of the condition and verify the
existence of a current condition. Clear objective evidence of a learning disability must be provided through assessment in the areas of cognitive aptitude, achievement, and information processing.
The evaluator’s report must also include the following:
1. Developmental, Educational, and Accommodation History: The report must contain evidence of the history of learning difficulties. The report may also include information substantiated in medical and educational records. Accommodation history must be discussed.
2. Evidence of current impairment: The report must describe the student’s present learning
difficulties including evidence of ongoing impairment in functioning at the time he or she was
referred for the current evaluation. Documentation must include a current DSM-IV-TR diagnosis
including the criteria by which the diagnosis was determined. A definitive diagnostic statement
must be made and stated directly. This statement should not use terms such as “suggests,”
“appears to,” “is consistent with,” “is indicative of” or similar language. Relevant current
medical information must be included.
3. Alternate causes ruled out: The report must demonstrate that the evaluator(s) has investigated
and ruled out alternative psychological, medical, educational, and/or cultural explanations for the
impairment.
4. A Clear DSM-IV-TR Diagnosis must be provided identifying the specific type(s) of learning
disabilities diagnosed.
5. Relevant testing must be provided to establish average or higher intelligence: The WISCIII
or IV or the WAIS-III or IV must be administered and all scale and subscale information must
be included. Standard scores and percentile scores must be provided. Full scale and subscale
information must be provided for both the intelligence test and any other testing used to
substantiate a disability related to academic functioning.
6. Specific areas of information processing must be assessed in the areas of memory, auditory
and visual perception/processing, processing speed, executive functioning, and motor ability to
substantiate related accommodation requests.
7. Achievement testing must be provided to demonstrate academic impairment: The
Wechsler Individual Achievement Test-II (WIAT-II) or the Woodcock Johnson Psychoeducational
Battery-III or similar measures must be administered to measure the current impact of the
disorder on an individual’s ability to function in academic related settings. The Wide Range
Achievement Test (WRAT III or IV) is not sufficient in this regard.
IV. Each recommended accommodation must be discussed individually and specific evidence must support each accommodation requested in the report.
Accommodations are provided for a condition only when the condition materially restricts an individual’s
academic functioning and when there is a substantial limitation as compared to the general population.
Accommodations are not provided for relative weaknesses, areas needing improvement, or below expectancy performance that is not directly related to a disability.
Each accommodation must be correlated with specific functional limitations that have been documented in the assessment. All data must logically reflect the substantial limitation(s) to learning for which the individual is requesting accommodations. For example, a recommendation for extra times for exams may be related to the individual’s processing speed sub-score on the WAIS-III. “Laundry lists” of accommodations that are not individually supported are insufficient for this section.
Please feel free to attach any additional documentation to the report.
Requirements for Professional Reports Documenting
Accommodation Needs of Students with AD/HD
Under section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act of 2008, Student Disability Services (SDS) protects qualified students enrolled at the University of Iowa from discrimination on the basis of disability and assures provision of reasonable accommodations. To do this, SDS requires documentation that diagnoses a disability and describes how the condition directly and
substantially limits a major life function such as learning. The documentation must demonstrate that the condition rises to the level of a disability.
The following documentation requirements establish that the student is eligible for protection and services on the basis of a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity, has a record of such impairment, or is regarded as such. The documentation also supports the student’s request for
accommodations.
All reports must be type written and signed on professional letterhead and include the name, title, and
professional credentials of the evaluator, including license or certification, area of specialization, employment, affiliation, and the state or province of practice. Please note that IEP’s and 504 plans will not be considered documentation, but should be integrated by the professional into the final report.
Components I-IV must be included in the professional report.
I. Qualifications of the Evaluator
Professionals conducting assessments and rendering diagnoses of AD/HD and making recommendations for accommodations must have comprehensive training and relevant experience with an adult AD/HD population.
Examples of such professionals are Clinical, Counseling, Educational, School Psychologists,
Neuropsychologists, and relevantly trained Medical Doctors and Learning Disability Specialists. The
professional completing the report must be independently licensed or working under the supervision of a
licensed professional.
II. Recency of Documentation
Because the provision of all reasonable accommodations and services is based upon our review of the
professional’s assessment of the current impact of the disability on academic performance, it is in a student’s
best interest to provide recent and appropriate documentation. This means that the comprehensive
evaluation must have been completed within the past three years.
III. Comprehensive Information that Verifies the Existence of the Condition
A comprehensive evaluation should provide information about the history of the condition and verify the
existence of a current condition. The evaluator’s report must include the following:
1. Evidence of early impairment: The report must contain evidence to establish that the
symptoms of the disorder were present in childhood and manifested in more than one setting.
The summary should also include information substantiated in medical and educational records.
It should also describe the student’s diagnostic history of AD/HD. Accommodation history should
be outlined.
2. Evidence of current impairment: The report must describe the student’s present attentional
symptoms including evidence of ongoing impulsive/hyperactive or inattention behaviors that
significantly impair functioning in two or more settings at the time he or she was referred for the
current evaluation. Documentation must include a current DSM-IV-TR diagnosis including the
criteria by which the diagnosis was determined. A definitive diagnostic statement must be made
and stated directly. This statement should not use terms such as “suggests,” “appears
to,” “is consistent with,” “is indicative of” or similar language. Relevant current medical
information must be included. The report should indicate whether or not the individual was
evaluated while on medication prescribed for the treatment of AD/HD, and whether or not the
prescribed medication consistently produces a desired response.
3. Alternate causes ruled out: The report must demonstrate that the evaluator(s) has investigated
and ruled out alternative psychological, medical, educational, and/or cultural explanations for
inattentiveness, impulsivity, and/or hyperactivity.
4. Relevant testing must be provided to establish average or higher intelligence: The WISCIII
or IV or the WAIS-III or IV must be administered and all scale and subscale information must
be included. Full scale and subscale information must be provided for both the intelligence test
and any other testing used to substantiate a disability related to academic functioning.
5. Achievement testing must be provided to demonstrate academic impairment: The
Wechsler Individual Achievement Test-II (WIAT-II) or the Woodcock Johnson Psychoeducational
Battery-III or similar measures must be administered to measure the current impact of the
disorder on an individual’s ability to function in academic related settings. The Wide Range
Achievement Test (WRAT III or IV) is not sufficient in this regard.
6. Additional testing must include at least one objective measure of sustained attention:
Examples include the Conner’s Continuous Performance Test (CCPT), the Test of Variables of
Attention (TOVA), The Intermediate Visual and Auditory Continuous Performance Test (IVA), the
Ruff 2 and 7, the Brief Test of Attention, the d2 Test of Attention, the Attention Capacity Test
(ACT), or similar measures.
IV. Each recommended accommodation must be discussed individually and specific evidence must
support each accommodation requested in the report.
Accommodations are provided for a condition only when the condition materially restricts an individual’s
academic functioning and when there is a substantial limitation as compared to the general population.
Accommodations are not provided for relative weaknesses, areas needing improvement, or below expectancy performance that is not directly related to a disability.
Each accommodation should be correlated with specific functional limitations that have been documented in the assessment. All data must logically reflect the substantial limitation(s) to learning for which the individual is requesting accommodations. For example, a recommendation for extended time for exams may be related to the individual’s processing speed sub-score on the WAIS-III, or to differences between “standard” and “extended time” administration scores on the Nelson-Denny Reading Test. “Laundry lists” of accommodations that are not individually supported are insufficient for this section.
Please feel free to attach any additional documentation to the report.
Requirements for Reports Documenting the
Accommodation Needs of Students with Hearing Impairments
Under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Student Disability Services (SDS) protects qualified students enrolled at The University of Iowa from discrimination on the basis of disability and assures provision of reasonable accommodations. To determine that a student is protected by the two laws, SDS requires documentation that diagnoses a disability and describes how the condition directly and substantially limits a major life function such as learning.
The following documentation guidelines establish that a student is eligible for protection and services on the basis of disability, demonstrates that the disability produces a significant, functional impact on a major life activity, and support the student’s request for accommodations.
A student who plans to request accommodations must first disclose his or her disability to SDS by submitting a report that documents his or her disability and needs. After the report has been submitted and reviewed, the student will be contacted and notified whether he or she may proceed to schedule an appointment to begin services, or whether more information is yet needed.
_______All documentation reports must be type-written and signed on professional letterhead
bearing the professional’s address, phone and clinical affiliation.
Professional Qualifications of the Evaluator:
_______1) The professional’s license or certification number that recognizes his or her status as a practicing medical doctor (M.D.), Audiologist (A), or Speech & Language Pathologist (SLP) and any additional information about specialty credentials should be contained in, or accompany, the report. The Evaluator must hold qualifications that are recognized by the State of Iowa as affirming his or her eligibility to diagnose hearing impairments.
Diagnostic and Treatment Information:
_______2) The report should describe the nature of the individual’s hearing loss, the approximate date of
onset and a brief history.
_______3) The report should contain a description of type and severity of the individual’s current hearing loss along with an audiogram.
_______4) The report should detail any currently prescribed or recommended treatment or care currently in progress (e.g. hearing aids, cochlear implant, speech therapy).
Current Functional Impact of the Disability:
_______5) The report should describe the manner and level of severity with which the disability and any
related treatment currently impacts the student’s general functioning.
_______6) The report should describe the manner and level of severity with which the disability has a current and substantial impact on academic functioning, e.g., note-taking, test-taking, one-to-one communication, etc.
Recommendations for Student’s College Program:
_______7) The report should contain recommendations for any specific reasonable accommodations that are needed to address the current and substantial impact of the disability on the student’s academic functioning.
Reports are sent to the attention of:
Kate Fashimpaur, M.A., LMSW
Coordinator of Academic Support and Advising
Cornell College
600 First Street SW
Mount Vernon, Iowa 52314-1098
Or kfashimpaur@cornellcollege.edu as a PDF document
Requirements for Reports Documenting the
Accommodation Needs of Students with Vision Impairment
Under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Student
Disability Services (SDS) protects qualified students enrolled at The University of Iowa from discrimination on the basis of disability and assures provision of reasonable accommodations. To determine that a student is protected by the two laws, SDS requires documentation that diagnoses a disability and describes how the condition directly and substantially limits a major life function such as learning. The following documentation guidelines establish that a student is eligible for protection and services on the basis of disability, demonstrates that the disability produces a significant, functional impact on a major life activity, and support the student’s request for accommodations.
A student who plans to request accommodations must first disclose his or her disability to SDS by submitting a
report that documents his or her disability and needs. After the report has been submitted and reviewed, the
student will be contacted and notified whether he or she may proceed to schedule an appointment to begin
services, or whether more information is yet needed.
_______All documentation reports must be type-written and signed on professional letterhead bearing the professional’s address, phone and clinical affiliation.
Professional Qualifications of the Evaluator:
_______1) The professional’s license number certifying his or her status as a practicing medical doctor (M.D.) or optometrist (O.D.) and any additional information about specialty credentials should be contained in, or accompany, the report. The physician must hold qualifications that are recognized by the State of Iowa as affirming his or her eligibility to render a medical diagnosis.
Diagnostic and Treatment Information:
_______2) The report should describe the type and severity of the individual’s visual loss and state the approximate date of their onset. It should describe the subsequent progress and treatment of the condition.
_______3) The report should contain a description of the extent of visual fields and the degree of visual acuity.
_______4) The report should detail any currently prescribed or recommended treatment, care, or assistive devices.,
Current Functional Impact of the Disability:
_______5) The report should describe the manner and level of severity with which the disability and any related
treatment currently impacts the student’s general functioning.
_______6) The report should describe the manner and level of severity with which the disability currently impacts academic functioning, e.g., reading, memorizing, writing, note-taking, test-taking, one-to-one communication, etc.
_______7) The report should indicate any types of activity that might be a typical part of a college program that are specifically contraindicated by the student’s disability.
Recommendations for Student’s College Program:
_______8) The report should contain recommendations for specific reasonable accommodations that are needed to address the current and substantial impact of the disability on the student’s academic functioning.
_______9) The report should contain recommendations for reasonable accommodations pertaining to the
individual’s campus board, room, or transportation needs.
Requirements for Professional Reports Documenting
Accommodation Needs of Students with Psychological Disorders
Under section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act of 2008, Student Disability Services (SDS) protects qualified students enrolled at the University of Iowa from discrimination on the basis of disability and assures provision of reasonable accommodations. To do this, SDS requires documentation that diagnoses a disability and describes how the condition directly and
substantially limits a major life function such as learning. The documentation must demonstrate that the condition rises to the level of a disability.
The following documentation requirements establish that the student is eligible for protection and services on the basis of a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity, has a record of such impairment, or is regarded as such. The documentation also supports the student’s request for
accommodations.
All reports must be type written and signed on professional letterhead and include the name, title, and
professional credentials of the evaluator, including license or certification, area of specialization, employment, affiliation, and the state or province of practice. Please note that IEP’s and 504 plans will not be considered documentation, but should be integrated by the professional into the final report.
Components I-IV must be included in the professional report.
I. Qualifications of the Evaluator
Professionals conducting assessments and rendering diagnoses of a Psychological Disorder and making
recommendations for accommodations must have comprehensive training and relevant experience with a
Psychiatric population. Examples of such professionals are Licensed Clinical or Counseling Psychologists, Licensed Social Workers, and Psychiatrists.
II. Recency of Documentation
Because the provision of all reasonable accommodations and services is based upon our review of the
professional’s assessment of the current impact of the disability on academic performance, it is in a student’s best interest to provide recent and appropriate documentation. This means that the comprehensive evaluation being submitted must have been completed within the past six months.
III. Comprehensive Information that Verifies the Existence of the Condition
A comprehensive evaluation should provide information about the history of the condition and verify the
existence of a current condition. The evaluator’s report must include the following:
1. Developmental, Psychological, Educational, and Accommodation History: The report
should discuss the history of the disorder. The report should also include information
substantiated in medical and educational records as well as any family history deemed relevant
by the examiner. Accommodation history should be discussed.
2. Evidence of current impairment: The report must describe the student’s present learning
difficulties including evidence of ongoing impairment in functioning at the time he or she was
referred for the current evaluation. Documentation must include a current DSM-IV-TR diagnosis
including the criteria by which the diagnosis was determined. A definitive diagnostic statement
must be made and stated directly. This statement should not use terms such as “suggests,”
“appears to,” “is consistent with,” “is indicative of” or similar language. Relevant current
medical information must be included.
3. Alternate causes ruled out: The report must demonstrate that the evaluator(s) has investigated
and ruled out alternative psychological, medical, educational, and/or cultural explanations for the
impairment.
4. Objective testing must be provided to demonstrate academic impairment. Clear objective
evidence of a disability must be provided through standardized testing in one or more cognitive
areas. In order to substantiate the need for recommended accommodations, testing related to
attention, memory, learning, fluid reasoning, language, academic achievement, visual information
processing, auditory processing, executive functioning, or perceptual reasoning must be used.
Informal inventories, surveys, brief tests such as Beck Inventories, or direct observation by a
qualified professional may be used in tandem with formal testing, but alone are not sufficient
documentation to establish the presence of a disabling condition.
IV. Each recommended accommodation must be discussed individually and specific evidence must support each accommodation requested in the report.
Accommodations are provided for a condition only when the condition materially restricts an individual’s
academic functioning and when there is a substantial limitation as compared to the general population.
Accommodations are not provided for relative weaknesses, areas needing improvement, or below expectancy performance that is not directly related to a disability.
Each accommodation should be correlated with specific functional limitations that have been documented in the assessment. All data must logically reflect the substantial limitation(s) to learning for which the individual is requesting accommodations. For example, a recommendation for extra times for exams may be related to the individual’s processing speed sub-score on the WAIS-III. “Laundry lists” of accommodations that are not individually supported are insufficient for this section.
Please feel free to attach any additional documentation to the report.