In order to receive  accommodations from the Disability Support Services (DSS) Office ,  you must provide documentation  verifying eligiblility under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA,) .   Although  specific documentation requirements vary depending on the type of disability  the following guidelines apply:

Documentation must indicate which major life activity or activities your disability affects.  It must include a diagnosis of the disability or condition and explain any limitations you may have.

Documentation most be recent, in most cases reflect your current, preferably no more than three years old.  In some cases, older documentation is acceptable.  If your disability does not change over time, older documentation is usually acceptable.  People who have disabilities that change as they reach adolescence or adulthood should provide recent documentation.

Your documentation should indicate the accommodations that are appropriate for your particular disability.  If you request accommodations that are not substantiated in your documentation, we may request additional documentation that indicates that the accommodation you are requesting is reasonable.  If you sign an Information Release form, we may be able to obtain the additional information we need.  If further testing is needed, you are responsible for scheduling and paying for the testing.

If you are taking medications related to your disability, your documentation should include information about how the medication affects your ability to sleep, attend class, concentrate, etc.

Other considerations....

Accommodations can not be granted retroactively.  They are applicable from the date the eligible student registers with the DSS office and presents his or her accommodations notification letter to the instructor of record  

 If you received services in high school, you should have an Individual Education Plan (IEP) or a 504 plan.  While these are tools we can use to help determine appropriate accommodations, they are not considered adequate documentation.  These tools should be included with your documentation, but the documentation itself will need to be provided by a licensed professional.

If you have been diagnosed with a learning disability, do not have thorough documentation, and it seems evident that you would benefit from accommodations, you may receive services on a provisional basis for one semester.  Provisional services are granted on a case-by-case basis.