Documentation Guidelines
Deafness and Hearing Disability
I. The evaluation must be done by a qualified professional. Physicians, including otorhinolaryngologists and otologists, are qualified to provide diagnosis and treatment of hearing disorders. Audiologists may also provide current audiograms.
A. This documentation can be prepared only by a person who is not a family member of the student and who is qualified by professional training and practice to diagnose, treat, and recommend accommodations for the medical disability.
B. The evaluator must include credentials, licensure/certification information, address and telephone number.
C. The evaluation must be typed on professional letterhead, signed and dated. Handwritten notes on prescription pads or handwritten treatment records will not be accepted.
II. Evaluation documentation must be current so as to address the current level of functioning and need for accommodations. An updated evaluation may be required if observed changes may have occurred in the student’s performance or new treatments have been prescribed or discontinued. The update should then include an assessment of functioning and accommodations, and be related to the previous diagnostic report. Individualized Educational Plans (IEP) and Section 504 plans are valuable sources of information but are not sufficient for documentation of a disability and establishment of accommodations.
III. Recommended documentation includes:
A. A clear diagnostic statement of deafness or hearing deficiency, with a current audiogram that corresponds with the current impact the deafness or hearing deficiency has upon the student's functioning. The age of acceptable documentation is dependent upon the status of the individual's hearing (static or changing), the current functional status of the student, and the student's request for accommodations.
B. A summary of assessment procedures and evaluation instruments used to make the diagnosis and a narrative summary of evaluation results, if applicable.
C. Medical information specifying the functional impacts or limitations of the hearing disability upon learning or other major life activity and the degree to which it impacts the individual in the learning environment for which accommodations are being requested.
D. Medical information relating to the student's needs, including the functional impact of assistive devices (e.g. hearing aids) or treatments upon the student's ability to meet the demands of the postsecondary academic environment. Also needed is information pertaining to the expected progression or stability of the disability's impact.
E. Suggestions of reasonable accommodations that might be appropriate at the postsecondary level are encouraged. These recommendations should be directly related to the functional limitations of the hearing disability, as supported by the documentation, and what the student needs to best function in an academic environment.
IV. The Office of Accessibility and Disabilities Services will make the final determination of eligibility for accommodations and reserves the right to deny services or reasonable accommodations while the receipt of appropriate documentation is pending. Students must complete the application process, submit disability documentation and bring a current detailed schedule before they can receive accommodations and services. All documentation is confidential and on file only at the Office of Accessibility and Disabilities Services.