Documentation Standards
West Liberty University is committed to providing reasonable and effective accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. All West Liberty University students requesting disability-related accommodations must register with the West Liberty University Office of Accessibility Services in the Student Success Center, providing up-to-date, appropriate, and objective documentation that clearly substantiates a significant functional impairment. A significant functional impairment means that a student’s ability to perform a major life activity is below average compared to other persons of that age.
Diagnostic evaluation reports submitted as documentation must:
1. Appear on official letterhead and be typed, signed, and dated by a qualified, licensed professional who is credentialed in the area related to the diagnosed condition for which the accommodation is being requested.
2. Provide a specific, definite diagnosis, including symptoms and fluctuating conditions related to the student’s disability or condition. When appropriate, include a history of diagnosis, including duration, stability, and/or progression of the condition.
3. Provide recent objective findings, test scores, and/or clinical observations used to determine the diagnosis of the student’s disability, the student’s functional limitations, and the student’s current need for accommodation(s).
4. Identify current medications the student is taking, as well as any side effects currently experienced by the student.
The following information/documentation is not adequate for determining accommodations:
• A brief note from a physician or health professional that simply requests an accommodation or provides a diagnosis without offering supporting documentation. This includes information or notes written on a prescription pad, as well as aftercare instructions issued to the patient.
• Evaluation reports of a learning difficulty that are not comprehensive or that identify ‘‘problems or challenges’’ but do not specifically diagnose a learning disability.
NOTE: An Individualized Education Plan (IEP), 504 Plan, outdated documentation, and evaluations normed on child scales may not provide sufficient documentation. These documents do however serve as an appropriate starting place for discussions about accommodations. A request for additional documentation, as well as further evaluation, may also be discussed to assist in the authorization of accommodations.
Submit documentation that meets documentation standards by one of the following methods:
Email:
Dr. Richard L. Whitehead
Richard.Whitehead@westliberty.edu
Mail to:
ATTN: Accessibility Services
Student Success Center
208 University Drive, CUB 112
West Liberty, WV 26074
Click here for a printable PDF copy: Documentation Standards