Documentation Requirements
Students seeking accommodations on the basis of disability are required to submit documentation of their disability. Documentation requirements are needed to establish the impact of the disability and the type of services that can be provided when registering with Disability Services.
The purpose for requesting additional information is to help Disability Services determine if there are accommodations that can be provided to offset the impact of a disability in ETSU programs and activities. Records provided to support a request for services should be current and relevant to the accommodation request.
Documentation should included diagnoses, any prescribed medications or therapies, compliance with those therapies, and any side effects the therapies may have on the student academically. Educational or medical records, reports and assessments created by health care providers, school psychologists, teachers, or the educational system are examples of records that may support accommodation requests.
Disability Services will review individualized education plans (IEP), summaries of performance (SOP), and other records in an effort to develop a complete picture of the student's disability and accommodation needs.
Effective records will include:
- Statement of diagnosis provided by an impartial professional
- Description of diagnostic criteria and/or diagnostic tests used
- Description of the current impact of the disability in an academic environment
- Credentials of the diagnosing professional
The diagnosing professional must have specific training and expertise in a field related to the type of disability being diagnosed. Records not including the information outlined above or from a professional whose credentials are not generally indicative of expertise in the specific disability being diagnosed may not be adequate to support the student's request for services.
If the information provided is not adequate, Disability Services will give the student a written explanation of why the documentation was not accepted. This explanation will include suggestions regarding additional information that the student can provide to establish eligibility. It is ETSU's goal to make the process of self identification and requesting services as simple and convenient as possible for students.