• Overview
• Policy on Accommodations & Documentation Guidelines
• Academic Accommodations
• Disability Accommodation Appeal Process
• Rights & Responsibilities for Students & Faculty
• Release of Confidential Info Form (.PDF)
• Links for More Info on Disabilities
• How to:
  • Be Eligible for Academic Accommodations
  • Request Test Services
  • Request a Note Taker

Disability Services Overview

Under the provision of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, colleges and universities receiving federal funds may not discriminate in the recruitment, admission, educational process or treatment of students. Students who have self-identified, provided documentation of a disability and requested reasonable accommodations are entitled to receive approved modifications or programs, appropriate academic adjustments or auxiliary aids that enable them to participate in and benefit from all educational programs and activities.

The Coordinator of Disability Services in the Office of Academic Affairs is responsible for providing assistance to both students and faculty in accommodating students with disabilities. The Coordinator serves as the primary resource for all student issues related to the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Questions/concerns regarding students with disabilities should be directed to the Coordinator c/o Office of Academic Affairs, Kearney 202.

Admissions

Students with disabilities must meet the standard academic requirements to be considered for admission. The Committee on Admissions considers all applications for admission on a rolling basis. Contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions for information regarding the application process.

Documentation

At the post-secondary level, disclosure of disability is voluntary. In general, documentation of disability should only be submitted after an offer of admission has been made. The following guidelines for documentation are intended to facilitate the process by which persons with disabilities are given reasonable accommodations at the College. St. John Fisher College's Guidelines for Documentation of Disability are adopted from AHEAD (Association on Higher Education and Disability).

Learning Disabilities (and/or ADD/ADHD)

Qualifications of the Evaluator

Professionals conducting assessments, rendering the diagnoses of learning disabilities and making recommendations for appropriate accommodations must be qualified to do so.

The name, title and professional credentials of the evaluator, including information about license or certification, as well as the area of specialization, should be clearly stated in the documentation. Use of diagnostic terminology indicating a learning disability by someone whose training and experience are not in these fields is not acceptable.

Documentation

Documentation should validate the need for services based on the individual’s current level of functioning in the educational setting. A school plan such as an individualized education program (IEP) or a 504 plan is insufficient documentation, but can be included as part of a more comprehensive assessment. Prescription pad notes are not acceptable documentation. Documentation should be normed on adolescent/adult standards and generally should be no more than 3 yrs. old for freshmen, and no more than 5 yrs. old for transfer students.

Prospective students are encouraged to contact their high school special education service provider or school psychologist before graduation to obtain a copy of the most recent documentation. Students should keep a copy of the documentation for their personal records.

Substantiation of the Learning Disability Assessment

The domains to be addressed must include the following:

1. Aptitude - A complete intellectual assessment with all subtests and standard scores reported.
2. Academic Achievement - A comprehensive academic achievement battery is essential. The battery should include current levels of academic functioning in relevant areas such as reading (decoding and comprehension), mathematics, and oral and written language.
3. Information Processing - Specific areas of information processing (e.g., short- and long-term memory, auditory and visual perception/processing, processing speed, executive functioning and motor ability) should be assessed.

Specific Diagnosis

Individual “learning styles”, “learning differences”, “academic problems” and “test difficulty or anxiety” in and of themselves, do not constitute a learning disability. It is important to rule out alternative explanations for problems in learning such as emotional, attention or motivational problems that may be interfering with learning but do not constitute a learning disability.

Test Score

Standard scores and/or percentiles should be provided for all normed measures. The data should logically reflect a substantial limitation to learning for which the student is requesting accommodation.

Substantiation of a Mental Health Impairment

Documentation of an Emotional or Psychological Disability should include:

• A current (within 1 year) DSM-IV diagnosis from an appropriate licensed professional. This would include a description of the specific symptoms associated with the diagnosis and any other conditions or dual diagnoses that may accompany the primary diagnosis.
• Results of any psychological and/or neurospsychiatric testing.
• A summary of all prior diagnoses and treatment from the treating professionals.
• An educational history describing how the disability and its symptoms have affected the student's academic performance.
• A current treatment plan from a licensed mental health professional. This would include any prescribed medications, intensity and duration of counseling or psychotherapy, indications for adjunctive therapies (e.g. support groups, health regimens).

Documentation for Other Disabilities

Deafness and/or Hearing Impairments

An audiogram from a certified otolist indicating air and bon conduction thresholds.

Visual Impairments

A medical eye report from a certified ophthalmologist.

Mobility and Other Impairments

A statement of disability including any recommended accommodations signed by a physician or licensed psychologist.