Accessibility Resources - Documentation Guidelines and Testing Costs
In the context of postsecondary education, the student's documentation should provide the College with an understanding of the individual's disability and enough information to anticipate how the disability's current impact on the student is expected to interact with the College's structure of courses, testing methods, program requirements, etc. Because the provision of reasonable accommodations and services is based on an assessment of the current impact of the student's disabilities on academic performance in a specific academic program, it is in the student's best interest to provide current and appropriate documentation. Additionally, students are encouraged to review the skills and abilities the College has determined to be essential to law study, outlined in Reasonable Accommodations and Standards for Law Study (PDF). The College of Law reserves the right to require more recent documentation, especially if the student or the student's academic performance indicates that the impact of the disability may have changed.
The Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) has previously identified essential elements for documentation. While accommodation determinations are made on a case-by-case basis and the type and quantity of documentation necessary for each individual will vary, it is recommended that documentation include the following elements based on diagnosis. If you are seeking new documentation, this listing may be helpful to discuss with the professional providing your documentation to ensure that important elements are included. If you are unsure if your documentation is sufficient, please discuss your questions with the ADA Coordinator.
Guidelines can be found outlined below; along with printable checklists of the appropriate guidelines, which can also be found on our resources page.
- Current and Relevant. Documentation should reflect the current impact of disabilities. Learning assessments must be based upon adult-level learning and should take into account the academic demands of higher education, particularly the rigor of the law school environment.
- Credentials of the Evaluator(s). A good match between the credentials of the individual making the diagnosis and the condition being reported is expected (e.g., an orthopedic limitation might be documented by a physician, but not a licensed psychologist). Quality documentation is provided by a licensed or otherwise properly credentialed professional who has undergone appropriate and comprehensive training, has relevant experience, and has no personal relationship with the individual being evaluated. Documentation should reflect these credentials, being provided on letterhead. Please note that the information provided on a prescription pad is not sufficient.
- A diagnostic statement. A clear diagnostic statement that describes how the condition was diagnosed (including criteria and testing used) and details the typical progression or prognosis of the condition. While diagnostic codes from the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of the American Psychiatric Association (DSM) or the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health (ICF) of the World Health Organization are helpful in providing this information, a full clinical description will also convey the necessary information.
- Evidence of Existing Impairment and Current Functional Limitations. Information on how the disabling condition(s) currently impacts the individual provides for both establishing the existence of a disability and identifying possible accommodations. A combination of the results of formal evaluation procedures, clinical narrative, and the individual's self-report is the most comprehensive approach to fully documenting the impact. The best quality documentation is thorough enough to demonstrate whether and how a major life activity is substantially limited by providing a clear sense of the severity, frequency, and pervasiveness of the condition(s).
- Expected Progression or Stability. It is helpful when documentation provides information on expected changes in the functional impact of the disability over time and context. Information on the cyclical or episodic nature of the disability and known or suspected environmental triggers to episodes provides opportunities to anticipate and plan for varying functional impacts. If the condition is not stable, information on interventions (including the individual's own strategies) for exacerbations and recommended timelines for re-evaluation are most helpful.
- Current and Past accommodations, Services, and/or Medications. The most comprehensive documentation will include a description of both current and past medications, auxiliary aids, assistive devices, support services, and accommodations, including their effectiveness in ameliorating the functional impacts of the disability. A discussion of any significant side effects from current medications or services that may impact physical, perceptual, behavioral, or cognitive performance is helpful when included in the report.
- Recommendations for Academic Accommodations. Specific recommendation with an explanation of the rationale for each recommendation as related to the specific functional limitations, especially academic performance, is preferred. While the College is not required to provide or adopt recommendations made by outside entities, those that are congruent with the programs, services, and benefits offered by the College or program may be appropriate.
Accessibility Resources have created a printable checklist of these guidelines, which can be accessed here.
Stetson University College of Law recognizes that some students may require reasonable accommodation to fully participate in the academic program due to the diagnoses of learning disabilities or ADD/ADHD. To ensure fairness and equity for all students, the College of Law requires that requests for accommodations be supported by comprehensive and current documentation as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). These requirements are designed to align with the requirements of the MPRE and Florida Bar Examination.
When requesting reasonable accommodation related to a learning disability or ADHD, students must provide the Psychoeducational Assessment Comprehensive Evaluation Report (PACER). The PACER must include a:
- Diagnostic Interview: A detailed account of the individual's developmental, medical, family, social, and educational history.
- Objective Evidence: Clear, objective evidence of a substantial limitation to learning or performance in areas of cognitive aptitude, achievement, and information processing abilities. This evidence must be obtained through reliable and valid standardized assessments appropriate for the general adult population and reported in age-based standard scores and percentiles. Your medical provider is best suited to select the appropriate battery of formal testing metrics, which may include most current versions of aptitude/cognitive ability (Kaufman Adolescent and Adult Intelligence Test), achievement (Scholastic Abilities Test for Adults), and information processing scales (Swanson Cognitive Process Test).
- Note: Self assessments are not sufficient as sole documentation and should be considered within a comprehensive multi-assessment review.
- Diagnostic Interpretation: An interpretation of the diagnostic profile that integrates assessment data, background history, and observations made during the evaluation process. This should include the inclusion or ruling out of possible coexisting conditions that may affect the applicant's performance.
- Diagnostic Statement: The report should include results from empirically validated rating scales that address the severity of impact of symptoms and align with the criteria outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5).
- For Learning Disabilities: A specific diagnostic statement that avoids nonspecific terms such as "learning differences" or "learning styles.
- For ADHD: Clearly indicate the specific ADHD diagnostic subtype:
- predominantly inattentive type
- predominantly hyperactive-impulsive type
- combined type
- other specified
- Rationale for Accommodations: A clear rationale for each requested accommodation based on the diagnostic information presented (background history, test scores, documented observations, etc.).
Accessibility Resources have created a printable checklist of these guidelines, which can be accessed here.