Student Services - Disability Services

Student’s seeking assistance or accommodation must provide documentation from an appropriate professional. Required documentation includes the results of medical, psychological, educational and/or emotional diagnostic tests or evaluations that verify both the need for accommodation and the specific type of accommodation requested.

Specific Documentation Guidelines
Printer Friendly Version
Students with disabilities requesting accommodations or special assistance are required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act to provide recent documentation describing a specific disability. Recent is generally defined as within three years. Documentation must be provided by an appropriate professional (psychologist, medical doctor, audiologist, ophthalmologist, etc.) and should include the following six elements (appropriate to the disability):

1.	A diagnostic statement identifying the disability, a date for the current evaluation, and the date of the original evaluation (whenever possible). An Individualized Education Plan (IEP) may be provided but does not replace a diagnostic evaluation.

2.	A description of the diagnostic tests, methods and criteria used in the evaluation. Standard scores should be included for specific learning disabilities.

3.	A description of the functional impact of the disability (that is, the effect on learning and classroom performance or participation) including specific test results and the evaluator’s narrative interpretation.

4.	A description of any relevant treatment and/or assistive devices currently prescribed or in use.

5.	A recommendation for classroom accommodations or services.

6.	The name and signature of the professional who completed the evaluation along with their credentials and contact information (if not clear from the letterhead or other forms).

Documentation may also include suggestions for compensatory strategies, adaptive devices, or other support services that would benefit the student.

Documentation will remain confidential and will be maintained by Disability Services. Disability documentation is not a part of the academic record. This information will be considered confidential and is to be shared within the institution on a need-to-know basis only. Disability records may be destroyed five years after the student’s last enrollment.

For students with learning or other non-apparent disabilities, documentation should be current, which is generally no older than three years. Students who provide documentation showing a history of disability may be granted accommodations for one semester in order to allow the student an opportunity to update older documentation; however, accommodation beyond one semester will be dependent upon the student providing current documentation.

RCCC may also require an assessment by the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation as part of the documentation.