General Documentation Guidelines

State of Colorado/Wyoming Consortium of Support Programs for Students with Disabilities Documentation Guidelines

Introduction

Individuals with disabilities who attend or plan to attend a postsecondary institution in Colorado may need reasonable accommodations and/or auxiliary aids in order to have equal access to the programs and services offered. The laws that require postsecondary institutions to provide these services to otherwise qualified students include: Section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). To receive accommodations in the postsecondary environment, a student must notify the institution’s Disability Services Office (or other designated office) and initiate the process of determining their eligibility for accommodations.

Purpose

These documentation guidelines have been provided to assist students in obtaining appropriate documentation from qualified professionals. While appropriate documentation of a disability is only one part of determining eligibility for accommodations, the provision of this documentation assists the disability service provider to understand the impact of the disabilities, needs, and potential accommodations. Institutions might also request documentation for the following reasons:

• To verify the existence of a disability.
• To support the request for each specific accommodation.
• To review the nature of the disability or disabilities and its’ impact in the postsecondary environment.
• To assist in the collaborative determination of eligibility for auxiliary aids and services to minimize the impact of the disability.

Please note: An Individualized Education Plan (IEP), 504 Plan, or General Education Initiative from a secondary school may not provide thorough information for the documentation of disability and needed accommodations. Please refer to the institution’s documentation guidelines for the required information.

Student Responsibilities

• To meet qualifications and maintain essential institutional standards for courses, programs, services or activities.
• To initiate all requests for accommodations and services.
• To give institutions advance notice of needed accommodation(s).

The institution and Disability Access Services staff have the following rights and responsibilities:

• The institution reserves the right to determine the appropriateness of submitted documentation and requests for accommodation(s) on a case-by-case basis, utilizing the professional judgment of the Disability or Supplemental Services staff.
• Additional information may be requested to determine eligibility for services.
• Relevant information regarding the student's disability may be shared with those who have a legitimate educational interest.