|Learning Disabilities| |ADHD| |Hearing Impairment| | Medical| |Physical|

|Visual Impairment| |Psychological| |Other|

Since each student has different needs for accommodations, Northwestern University requires that each student provide documentation that includes a diagnosis of his/her disability, defines the functional limitations he/she will experience in an academic environment, and describes appropriate academic accommodations. In order for decisions to be made regarding the appropriate accommodations for each student, documentation of the disability by a licensed professional that includes resulting limitations and recommended accommodations will be required.

A. Documentation of Learning Disabilities

• A clear statement of the diagnosis. If the report does not contain a line in the diagnosis section stating that the individual has a learning disability, then, without further clarification, there is not valid documentation to support the presence of a learning disability or the need for academic accommodation. (Statements that the student has a "learning difficulty" or "learns differently" are not sufficient.)

• Scores from the tests administered. The battery of tests used should contain widely accepted instruments such as the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale - Third Edition, the Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Cognitive Ability and Achievement , etc.

• Explanations of the appropriate academic accommodations. The explanation of the appropriate accommodation must show a clear relationship with the student's particular type of disability. This is especially critical if the accommodations being requested include course requirement substitutions.

Letters stating only that the student has a learning disability but that do not provide any diagnostic information or evidence of a history of accommodation are not acceptable. An IEP or 504 Plan is not, by itself, appropriate documentation of a learning disability or AD/HD (see below) at the post-secondary level but may be used to supplement documentation of disability.

SSD professional staff will review the documentation for diagnosis of a disabling condition and the functional limitations experienced by the student. The staff will determine the appropriate academic accommodations for each student based on the documentation provided. If the documentation is unclear, it may be referred to other professionals on campus for review and recommendation.

Students who are requesting a substitution of a degree or course requirement must provide documentation that the disability directly impacts their ability to fulfill the requirement.

B. Documentation of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorders

Students requesting accommodations must submit a diagnostic report containing the following information:

• Documented developmental history indicating relevant symptoms and problem behaviors across multiple settings. Possible data sources include past evaluations, school records and teacher reports.

• Documentation of current symptoms that meet diagnostic criteria. Data sources should include clinical interviews, IQ tests (with special reference to any working memory and processing speed index scores), Conners' CPT II or other continuous performance tests, and memory/attention/processing/fluency subtests from batteries such as the Woodcock-Johnson III Tests of Cognitive Abilities and of Achievement.

• Documentation of current adult behavior on rating scales of AD/HD symptoms that have appropriate norms and if possible, documentation of past childhood behavior on rating scales of AD/HD symptoms. Possible data sources include norm-based behavior rating scales.

• Corroboration of current AD/HD symptoms across multiple settings by one or more independent observers with knowledge of the student’s functioning. Possible data source include parent, spouse, teacher, supervisor, co-worker, relative, and/or clinician.

• Clear evidence and documentation of interference with developmentally appropriate academic, social, or vocational functioning.

• All other psychiatric or medical disorders which may cause problems with inattention are differentially evaluated, documented, and considered in the differential diagnosis. This is particularly important when mood, anxiety, or substance abuse disorders are involved. Other causes of problems with attention and concentration must be considered and discussed (e.g., test anxiety). A positive response to medication is not, by itself, considered diagnostic.

The assessment on which the documentation is based should have been completed no more than three years prior to the student’s request for accommodations, or since the student’s eighteenth birthday. Documentation that does not meet all of the above-listed standards may be considered sufficient when submitted with an uninterrupted record of accommodations from another academic institution.

C. Documentation of Hearing Loss

Students who are deaf or hard of hearing must provide the SSD office with an audiogram by a licensed audiologist. The audiogram and any additional medical documentation provided must be current. An audiogram showing evidence of a hearing loss will entitle the student to services and priority registration. For additional academic accommodations, including adaptive equipment, information about the functional limitations caused by the hearing loss should also be included in the report.

D. Documentation of Medical, Physical, and Visual Impairments

Students whose disabling conditions are readily apparent are eligible for services and priority registration. For additional accommodations, the student must provide documentation of the disabling condition and the resulting functional limitations. Such documentation must be prepared by an appropriate professional and should be current. In some circumstances, such as an unfamiliar disease or disabling condition and/or if the documentation is unclear, it may be referred to the Director of the Student Health Center for review. Following review of the documentation for diagnosis of a disabling condition and the resulting functional limitations, the Director will make recommendations for appropriate accommodations to the SSD Manager. However, the Manager will make the final decision regarding appropriate accommodations based on all of the relevant information.

E. Documentation of Psychological Disabilities

Students who provide SSD with documentation from a licensed professional indicating a diagnosis of a psychological disability will be accepted for services and will be eligible for priority registration. For additional academic accommodations, students must provide recent documentation (no more than 1 year old) prepared by a licensed mental health professional detailing the current diagnosis of a disabling condition and the impact such condition will have on the student's academic activities. Moreover, it is recommended that students with psychological disabilities be reevaluated yearly to maintain an updated profile of their condition and academic needs. Based on the disabling condition, SSD professional staff will determine the appropriate accommodations. In rare circumstances, such as unclear documentation or an unfamiliar diagnosis, the documentation may be referred to the Director of Counseling and Psychological Services to review for diagnosis of a disabling condition and the resulting functional limitations and recommendations for appropriate accommodations. However, SSD professional staff will make the final decision regarding the appropriate accommodations based on all of the relevant information.

F. Documentation of Other Disabling Conditions

The SSD office will serve students who have disabling conditions that do not fall in one of the above categories; decisions regarding appropriate accommodations will be made on a case-by-case basis. The documentation provided will be reviewed by the relevant University agency, as determined by the type of documentation provided, for diagnosis of the disabling condition and the resulting functional limitations. The University agency will make recommendations for accommodations to SSD, who will make the final decision based on all of the relevant information.

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