Documentation Guidelines

Documentation should include the following pieces of information:

1. What is your diagnosis (and who did the diagnosing/how long has it impacted you)
2. What are the functional limitations of the diagnosis for you
3. What are the recommended accommodations

Please keep in mind that whatever the recommended accommodations may include, Cornell College will make the final determination of reasonable accommodations.

Types of documentation that may be helpful include, but are not limited to, the following:

Educational, psychological, or medical records Reports and assessments created by healthcare providers, psychologists, or the educational system (e.g., a psychoeducational evaluation) Documents that reflect education and accommodation history, such as an Individual Education Program (IEP), Summary of Performance (SOP), and teacher observations A signed letter on letterhead from a relevant care provider

The age of acceptable documentation is dependent upon the disability. While older documentation for conditions that are permanent or do not vary may be appropriate, changing conditions and/or changes in how the condition impacts the individual over time may warrant more current documentation.

• Disability is defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as an impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. Major life activities include, but are not limited to, seeing, hearing, walking, standing, lifting, speaking, learning, reading, concentrating, thinking, communicating, and working.

• The accommodation intake form and documentation should be submitted to Disability Services early enough to allow staff sufficient time to review the request and implement reasonable accommodations and services.

  • Incoming fall semester students should sumbit your documentation to Disability Services by August 1st as part of your New Student Checklist.

  • Current students should submit the accommodation intake form.

• The Coordinator may ask you to provide additional information if the submitted documentation is incomplete or does not support your request for accommodations.

• You should keep a copy of the documentation for your personal records. Disability Services destroys documentation and other disability-related information seven years after a student leaves the college.

Documentation accepted by Cornell College might not be accepted by other institutions, agencies, and/or programs (e.g., testing agencies, licensure exams, and certification programs). Please check with the specific organizations and/or programs to determine their documentation requirements.

Students who do not have documentation are encouraged to meet with our staff to explore options for support. We have a lot of tools that may help address the challenges you are experiencing in the classroom. We can also walk you through the process of navigating the healthcare system to get evaluated for a disability.

The Ebersole Health and Wellbeing Center does not administer evaluations or assessments required for documentation of disabilities. The center staff can 'screen' for symptoms relating to ADHD but will refer students elsewhere for formal evaluation for ADHD and Learning Disability.

After you have submitted your request for accommodations and have had a Welcome Meeting with the Coordinator of Disability Services, there are two steps you must follow to get accommodations each block. (8 times per year.)

Your professor gets your letter of accommodations

The Disability Services email sends your letter to your professor and you. In the Welcome Meeting, you have the opportunity to choose if you want your letter to be sent automatically each block or to let us know each block whether you want your letter to be sent.

You have an implementation conversation with your professor.

• This should be a private meeting with the faculty member to discuss your accommodations and how they will be implemented based on the design of the class. For example, if you have extended time for testing and you are in a class that has no tests, you will not need the extended time.

• This conversation should happen within the first three days of the block, and you (the student) should initiate the conversation.

• You are under no obligation to share your diagnoses with your professor. This conversation is purely regarding logistics involved in implementing the accommodations listed on your letter.

Keep in mind that accommodations cannot be retroactively applied, so it is important to follow these steps early in the block to ensure you know how each accommodation will be implemented.