Documentation Guidelines

Students who have, or suspect they may have, a disability are encouraged to contact Accessibility Services to discuss their situation and the potential need for accommodations, modifications, auxiliary aids and services, and/or other resources and support.

Documentation requirements vary by situation. The following general requirements, documentation guidelines, and additional information are provided to assist students. However, because each person's situation is unique, interested students are encouraged to contact Accessibility Services to discuss their situation. Current and incoming students who do not have documentation, or have documentation that may not meet the suggested guidelines, are advised to contact the office before securing additional documentation.

Accessibility Services will work with students to determine appropriate documentation that will need to be submitted, and are always happy to meet with students whether or not documentation has been submitted. No student should delay initiating a request out of concern for not having the appropriate paperwork.

General Requirements

In order for Wesleyan to determine appropriate reasonable accommodations, submitted documentation is expected to meet the following guidelines, regardless of the format:

• Documentation should be current; the age of the documentation required is generally dependent on the type of condition and whether the impact of the impairment on the student is static or changing.
• Documentation should be relevant to the impact of the impairment from the condition on the student's participation in educational, housing, dining, and co-curricular activities at Wesleyan.
  • Students are able to submit any history of accommodations used, however, prior receipt of accommodations (e.g., in high school or in another university setting) does not guarantee receipt of the same accommodations.
  • While secondary school accommodation plans such as IEPs or 504 Plans are helpful, they often do not provide sufficient information to establish eligibility for accommodations at the college level when submitted without a corresponding evaluation.
• The evaluator conducting a particular assessment and making a specific diagnosis must be qualified to do so.
  • Qualified evaluators are licensed professionals (doctors, clinicians, medical specialists, etc.) with training and experience in the assessment of adolescents and adults.
  • The evaluator cannot be a family member of the student.

Documentation Guidelines

Though reporting formats vary, the following information and data are generally recommended in order for Wesleyan to best determine appropriate reasonable accommodations:

• a clear statement of the diagnosed disability and severity of the condition
• the date of diagnosis and date of most recent evaluation
• identification of the major life functions impacted by the disability
• a diagnostic summary, including any relevant history, with an indication of how the disability will affect participation in college courses, activities, meals, and/or the residential experience
• description of any auxiliary aids used by the student (e.g., hearing aids, assistive listening devices, visual aids, etc.)
• recommended accommodations that are appropriate to address the impact of the disability
• name, title, license number and state (if applicable), address, phone number, fax number, email address, and dated signature of evaluator qualified to make the diagnosis

Additional Information

• Information and documentation received is confidential and is used for the sole purpose of determining eligibility for accommodations. Documentation is not shared with others without the student’s consent, except as needed for legitimate educational purposes, or when otherwise required by law.
  • Disability-related information, including submitted documentation, is maintained by Accessibility Services for seven years from the time the student graduates or leaves Wesleyan. Original copies are not always maintained.
  • For more information on the confidentiality of student records, please see the student handbook.
• If the documentation which has been submitted does not contain sufficient information to determine appropriate accommodations, the student will be contacted.
  • Students are able to meet with Accessibility Services to discuss the documentation, and/or can submit additional documentation for review at any time.
  • For more information on the process for requesting reasonable accommodations, please see Requesting Reasonable Accommodations.
• When the request for an accommodation has been denied, or when an approved accommodation has not been received, students have a right to report the incident through any of the procedures outlined on the Appeals and Grievances page.