Documentation Guidelines

In order to qualify for services and accommodations on the basis of disability, students must submit clinical documentation directly to Student Accessibility Services (SAS).

The ADA defines a disability as a "physical or mental impairment which substantially limit one or more of such person’s major life activities." Such impairments can be temporary or permanent, apparent or invisible, consistent or fluctuating in nature.

The following guidelines are provided to assist students in ensuring that the documentation they submit is sufficient for verifying eligibility under the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and Whittier College policies.

Please note that SAS offers a one-semester grace period during which students may qualify to receive academic accommodations without complete or updated documentation. Students are expected to use this grace period to acquire complete and appropriate documentation for continued access to academic accommodations.

Acceptable Documents

Documentation that will be used for submission must have been completed: 

  • Within the last twelve months for psychological disabilities
  • Within the last five years for learning disabilities
  • Within the last three years for all other disabilities

*Exceptions may be made for permanent or chronic physical or sensory conditions.

Guidelines & Requirements

  1. Must be based upon an evaluation by a healthcare or mental health professional appropriately licensed by the state to diagnose medical, psychological, and learning disorders.
    • Such persons are usually licensed physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists, neuropsychologists, and learning disability specialists.
    • The clinician submitting the documentation must not be a family member or relative of the student.
    • Documentation from third parties or persons not licensed to diagnose such conditions will not be accepted.
  2. Must be based upon a clinical evaluation thorough enough to objectively establish the need for accommodations and/or services.
  3. Clearly states the diagnosed disabilit(ies), AND describes the associated functional limitations.
    • The severity and presentation of conditions differ between individuals, therefore documentation that only states the diagnos(es) is generally insufficient.
  4. If relevant, include a complete history (e.g. educational, developmental, and medical) of the condition(s) connected to the disability on which the recommendations are based.
  5. Should include an explanation for recommended accommodations associated with the condition and functional limitations.
  6. Diagnostic reports should be in English. If translated, all records or documents must be translated by a certified translator. 
  7. Documentation submitted must be in one of the following formats:
    • Certificate of Disability
    • Letter typed or printed on professional letterhead and signed by the evaluator.  Additionally, the license number of the clinician is requested.
    • Diagnostic report that includes the names, titles, professional credentials, license numbers, addresses, and phone numbers of the evaluators as well as the date(s) of testing.
    • Type of documentation accepted by SAS depends on the nature of the condition.

*SAS will not accept prescription pad notes as documentation.

Documentation Guidelines

In addition to the general guidelines, documentation for psychological disabilities should include:

Information regarding how the student’s condition impacts them in an academic and/or college housing environment. This would include information about academic, personal, and interpersonal functioning.

Form Guidelines

Documentation for psychological disabilities must be submitted using one of two forms:

  • Certificate of Disability
  • Clinical assessment, which includes:
    • The evaluative methods used to establish the diagnosis (e.g. clinical interview, psychological assessment battery).
    • Diagnosis consistent with established clinical criteria (e.g. DSM-5-TR) must be given.

Documentation Guidelines

In addition to the general guidelines above, documentation of physical/medical disabilities should:

  • State a physical or medical condition diagnosis consistent with established clinical criteria.
  • Indicate the functional impact that the physical or medical condition has upon the person in an academic and/or college housing environment (e.g. attendance, stamina, fatigue, mobility, work completion).
  • Provide information regarding the nature and course of the physical or medical condition (e.g., chronic, intermittent, situational).

Documentation Guidelines

In addition to the general guidelines above, documentation of specific learning disabilities should include:

  • The administration of a measure of intellectual ability (e.g., Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scales – 4th Edition) and a measure of academic achievement (e.g. Wechsler Individualized Achievement Test – 4th Edition, Woodcock-Johnson Tests of Achievement – 4th Edition).
  • A clear statement of the learning disability and the reasoning behind the diagnosis, supported by current documentation.
  • A summary of the diagnostic interview, covering the student’s academic history and learning processes from elementary to postsecondary education, as well as relevant developmental, medical, psychosocial, and family history. 
  • Test scores.
    • This would include I.Q. scores, factor scores, and subtest scores. Additionally, indication of the classification ranges associated with the scores should be present (e.g., average, high average, impaired).
  • Address any concerns regarding the validity of the evaluation and its findings.
    • This would include factors such as limitations in the test’s norming sample, performance impairments resulting from comorbid medical and psychological conditions, academic difficulties related to acculturation issues, and the client’s motivation for testing.
  • Provide recommendations for accommodations.
    • The test findings should provide a logical rationale for the recommended accommodations.
  • The report must also:
    • Rule out other explanations for academic problems.
    • Show patterns in cognitive abilities, achievement, and information processing that indicate a specific learning disability.
    • Highlight substantial limitations to major life activities and the degree of impact.

General Notes

Documentation provided will be used by SAS to evaluate requests for services and accommodations. The evaluation for receiving services includes a review of the documentation itself and an assessment of whether the accommodation(s) would alter the fundamental goals and standards of a program and/or the course itself.

Additionally, the guidelines on this page are not intended to comprehensively address the unique information needed for different types of disabilities. Further, some accommodation requests (e.g. single residence hall room placement) will require additional substantiation of need. Thus, SAS reserves the right to require students to provide further specific information on a case-by-case basis.

High School Students

For individuals who have recently been receiving services from a public school system, the information requested would most likely be contained in the Psycho-Educational Evaluation from your most recent review. IEPs, 504 Plans, or Transition Plans, are generally considered supplementary documentation, as they usually do not include the disability’s functional limitations. As such, additional information will be required.

Transfer Students

For individuals transferring from another college, disability-related information will not be sent with a transcript request. Disability documentation must be requested separately. Additionally, the disability information that is requested by Whittier College may or may not be included in a previous evaluation. SAS may request further documentation from a student if it is not in accordance with the College’s documentation guidelines.