Disability Support Services
University of
Montevallo
General Disability Documentation Requirements
Under the Americans with
Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, an individual with a
disability means “a person with a physical or mental impairment which
substantially limits one or more major life activities.” Disability
documentation serves two primary purposes: 1) Protection from discrimination,
and 2) Determination of accommodations to which an individual may be entitled.
Documentation to establish the former may be more brief and serves only to
assure that an individual will not be excluded, provided lesser access or
harassed based on perceptions or stereotypes. Documentation intended to
recommend or support the need for accommodations must not only provide evidence
of a disability, but also provide sufficient information regarding the
functional impact of that disability.Students are responsible for providing appropriate documentation to Disability Support Services (DSS). Documentation must be from an appropriate, licensed professional with training and expertise in the area of the disability. The report/evaluation should include the credentials of the professional, including title and licensure and/or certification. Documentation from a family member or close personal friend is not acceptable. All documentation must be typed on official letterhead, dated and signed. The age of acceptable documentation may vary depending on the nature of the disability, and is described within each set of guidelines.
The University requires a clear and specific diagnosis; however, a diagnosis alone is not enough to require accommodations/auxiliary aids. Documentation must address the functional limitations – the substantial impact on major life functions - while attending the University. Please note that high school IEPs or 504 Plans alone are usually not sufficient documentation, but will be accepted as part of a comprehensive packet of documentation. Letters from physicians stating only the name of a diagnosis without a full description of current symptoms/impact on functioning are also not sufficient as stand-alone documentation.A history of accommodation elsewhere does not guarantee the provision of accommodation at the University. Students should also be aware that meeting the University’s guidelines does not assure the sufficiency of that same documentation for transfer to another institution, or for the standards of various professional and graduate school testing agencies. The criteria of such agencies may require different or additional testing or information.
All documentation will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. If the documentation provided is deemed insufficient for determination of disability and reasonable accommodations, additional documentation will be requested. The University has no responsibility for the cost of obtaining such documentation. If documentation is acceptable, but the University wishes to obtain a second opinion, the University reserves the right to request such at its expense. Final determination of appropriate and reasonable accommodations rests with the University.Documentation will be held in a confidential manner. There may be circumstances under FERPA or other very unusual situations that might necessitate that some details of a student’s file be shared with select University officials – such as an emergency medical situation or student grievance proceeding (if relevant to disability or accommodation process). Court orders, subpoenas or complaints filed outside the University may result in files provided to University counsel. In any such cases, any University personnel involved will continue to maintain the student’s confidentiality. Students must sign a release if they wish records to be forwarded to another institution. DSS files will be kept for a minimum of seven years past the last term of enrollment.
Revised 2/08