Documentation Guidelines

The Office of Accessibility Resources at North Carolina A&T State University provides reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities. Post-secondary students no longer have IEPs because the Individuals with Disability Education Act (IDEA) does not exist at the college level; however, an IEP may be considered as a supporting document to the psychological evaluation. The students affiliated with the Office of Accessibility Resources are governed under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.

All documents submitted will be reviewed for the final determination of whether reasonable accommodations are warranted and can be provided for the individual. Students with disabilities are expected to satisfy the academic standards required by the university and perform the essential course functions without substantially altering the curriculum requirements.

 

Documentation to support the need for accommodations must include the following:

  • Be typed or printed on official letterhead and be signed by an evaluator qualified to make the diagnosis (include information about license or certification and area of specialization).
  • Clearly state the diagnosed disability or disabilities.
  • Describe the functional limitations resulting from the disability or disabilities.
  • Be current — i.e., completed within the:
    • last five years for learning disabilities (LD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), or intellectual disability (ID)
    • last 12 months for psychiatric disabilities and traumatic brain injury
(Note: This requirement does not apply to physical or sensory disabilities of a permanent or unchanging nature.)
  • Describe the specific accommodations requested.
  • Adequately support each of the requested testing accommodation(s).

 

The Documentation Request Form is an optional form for qualified professionals evaluating the student.

 
 

Examples of acceptable documentation may include: 

  • Psychological Evaluation/Psycho-Educational from a licensed psychologist
  • Letter from a healthcare professional (Audiologist, Ophthalmologist, or Physician),
    on letterhead, which confirms the diagnosis and level of functioning
  • Full evaluation/diagnostic report with an electronic signature from a medical
    professional
  • Accommodation letter from a previous post-secondary institution with supporting
    documentation that includes a diagnosis
  • IEP/504 plan that includes the diagnosis, level of functioning, and scores from
    previously used assessments

 

Medication or treatment currently prescribed and recommended accommodations that may assist the student in minimizing the impact of the condition in an academic setting is helpful, but not required, to determine the best possible accommodations and supports.


Temporary/Provisional Accommodations

Students with temporary injuries, such as a broken leg/arm, concussion, or surgery recovery can register with and receive services through OARS on a temporary basis. Temporary students do not need to follow the formal registration process. Instead, students should visit or contact our office at 336-334-7765 and speak with an OARS staff member about registering for a temporary injury.

In unique situations, provisional accommodations may be approved for students who can provide evidence of actively engaging in the diagnostic process. These provisional accommodations are typically approved for one semester and may later be approved on a permanent basis upon receipt of appropriate documentation. 

Insufficient Documentation

In cases where documentation is incomplete students will be asked to provide additional or clarifying information from the evaluator. Students leaving the university for any reason may, upon readmission, be asked to submit updated documentation prior to receiving accommodations or services.

Generally, the following documentation is NOT sufficient for the provision of services and accommodations:

  • High School IEPs, 504 Plans and/or SOPs
  • Documentation in which screening instruments or rating scales are used as the sole diagnostic tool
  • Official medical documentation, medical chart notes, or prescription pad notations
  • Documentation no more than 5 years old and testing instruments normed (standardized) that are not age-appropriate

Requests are reviewed in the order they are received. It can take up to two weeks to review documentation, approve a request and coordinate the approved accommodations. You are strongly encouraged to submit your request form and documentation as early as possible to avoid delays in services.*

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

  1. Do I have to disclose my disability to my college? No, you are not legally required to disclose your disability to your school; it is voluntary. However, if you do not disclose your disability, your school does not have to provide you with any disability services, including proper housing accommodations, special technological support, or extra time on tests.
  2. Where should my documentation be submitted? Documentation is uploaded in the AIM portal by the student requesting accommodations. 
  3. What if I do not have any documentation for my disability and/or health condition? Students can contact the counseling department to schedule an appointment for testing or contact the health center to schedule an appointment for psychiatric services.
  4. Can my college refuse my request for accommodations? Yes, your college can refuse your accommodation request for a few reasons:
    • If providing the accommodation would put an excessive financial and/or administrative burden on the institution
    • If providing the accommodation would change the nature of an academic program or the school’s curriculum, including giving you an unfair advantage over other students, lowering academic standards, and significantly altering what is required of you to complete a class or program
    • If the accommodation requested is of a personal nature; colleges are not required to provide students with disabilities with personal care attendants, personal readers, or personal devices
  5. What are the privacy requirements for information provided to OARS? All information and documentation submitted to the OARS office are considered private under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). HIPPA Privacy and confidentiality guides do not apply to documents submitted to OARS for they are not being used for treatment. Under FERPA guidelines OARS cannot guarantee complete confidentiality as there may be times when sharing some information with other NCAT staff/faculty is necessary for the facilitation of the accommodation process.

Please be advised that sharing information from (OARS) with Others does require a completed Information Release consent Form in AIM from the registered student.