Documentation Guidelines for Attention Deficit / Hyperactive Disorder
Attention Deficit/Hyperactive Disorder (AD/HD) is considered a medical or clinical diagnosis. Individuals qualified to render a diagnosis for this disorder are practitioners who have been trained in the assessment of AD/HD and are experienced in assessing the needs of adult learners. Recommended practitioners may include: developmental pediatricians, neurologists, psychiatrists, licensed clinical or educational psychologist, or a combination of such professionals. The diagnostician should be an impartial individual who is not a family member of the student.
The following guidelines are provided to assist the service provider in collaborating with each student to determine appropriate accommodations. Documentation serves as a foundation that legitimizes a student's request for appropriate accommodations. Recommended documentation includes:
- A clear statement of ADD or AD/HD with the DSM-IV diagnosis and a description of supporting past and present symptoms
- Documentation for eligibility should be current, preferably within the last three years; (the age of acceptable documentation is dependent upon the disabling condition, the current status of the student and the student's specific request for accommodations)
- A summary of assessment procedures and evaluation instruments used to make the diagnosis
- A narrative summary, including all scores, which supports the diagnosis
- Medical information relating to student's needs to include the impact of medication on the student's ability to meet the demands of the postsecondary environment
- A statement of the functional impact or limitations of the disability on learning or other major life activity and the degree to which it impacts the individual in the learning context for which accommodations are being requested
Further assessment by an appropriate professional may be required if coexisting learning disabilities or other disabling conditions are indicated. The student and the Disability Coordinator at the Access Center collaborate regarding accommodations.
