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Office of Learning Support Services
General Guidelines for Documentation

In order to fully evaluate requests for accommodations or auxiliary aids and to determine eligibility for services, the Office of Learning Support Services relies on student self-report and disability documentation from appropriate professionals.

The general guidelines listed below have been developed to assist you and the professional completing the documentation to prepare the information needed to evaluate your requests.  If, after reading these guidelines, you have any questions, please contact the Office of Learning Support Services at (419) 559-2342

1. Professional requirements

·      Assessment and documentation must be completed by a professional who has undergone appropriate, complete training, and has relevant experience and licensure appropriate to his/her profession.

2. Documentation reports

·      Assessment reports must be on letterhead and signed by the documenting professional, including his/her appropriate title and licensure descriptors as appropriate.  Notes on prescription pads will be considered incomplete documentation.  The Office of Learning Support Services reserves the right to request further documentation.

3. Current functional impact of the condition(s)

·     The current relevant functioning impacts on physical, perceptual, cognitive, and behavioral abilities should be described as a clinical narrative and/or through the provision of specific results from the diagnostic procedures/assessment.  The narrative should provide a sense of severity and variability over time and/or environmental conditions.

4. Treatments, medications, assistive devices/services currently prescribed or in use

·      Provide a description of treatments, medications, assistive devices, accommodations and/or services currently in use and their effectiveness in minimizing the impact of the condition(s).

5. The expected progression or stability of disability over time

·      If possible, provide an estimated description of the change in functional impact over time. 

·      If the condition is variable, describe the known triggers that exacerbate the condition.

6. Recommended accommodations and services

·      Taking into consideration the functional limitations associated with the condition(s) and the individual, recommend appropriate accommodations/services that may promote equal access to an education. 

7. A diagnostic statement identifying the disability

·      When appropriate, include International Classification of Diseases (ICD) or Diagnostic Statistical Manual (DSM) codes, and the date of the most recent evaluation.  If the recent evaluation was not a full evaluation, indicate when the last full evaluation was completed.

Updated 6/06/07