Rationale For Documentation

States of Colorado/Wyoming Consortium of Support Services for Students with Disabilities

Documentation Guidelines--Rationale

INTRODUCTION

Individuals with disabilities who attend or plan to attend a postsecondary institution in Colorado may need reasonable accommodations or auxiliary aids in order to have equal access to the programs and services offered.  There are two laws that require postsecondary institutions to provide these services to otherwise qualified students, Section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA).  Students who need accommodations are responsible for requesting these services from and for meeting with the Disability Services office at their institution for the following reasons

  • To provide documentation that supports the request for services
  • To discuss the request, the nature of their disabilities, and past experiences.

PURPOSE

These documentation guidelines have been provided to assist students in obtaining appropriate documentation from qualified professionals.  Appropriate documentation of a disability is only one part of determining necessary accommodations.  The provision of appropriate documentation to an institution helps students educate appropriate staff and faculty about the impact of their disabilities, needs, and potential accommodations.  Institutions may request documentation for the following reasons:

  • To verify the existence of a disability;
  • To assist in the collaborative determination of individual needs and eligibility for auxiliary aids and services to minimize the impact of the disability;
  • To personalize students' rights to equal access to their institutions.

RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

      In addition to notifying and documenting the need for accommodation(s), students with disabilities also have the following rights and responsibilities:

  • Equal access to all programs at each institution;
  • Disability related records will be used to determine appropriate services and will be maintained separately from academic records;
  • Students initiate all requests for services and/or accommodations to the appropriate office at their institutions;
  • Students need to give institutions advance notice of needed accommodation(s);
  • Students will need to meet with a Disability Services staff member for an intake appointment and discussion about the nature and impact of their disabilities;
  • Submission of documentation is not the same as the request for services; these are two different steps in the process of determination and provision of appropriate accommodations;
  • Generally, an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), 504 Plan, or General Education Initiative from a secondary school do not provide thorough information for the documentation of disability and needed accommodations.

The institution and Disability Services staff have the following rights and responsibilities.

  • The institution reserves the right to determine the appropriateness of submitted documentation and requests for accommodation(s) on a case by case basis, utilizing the professional judgment of the Disability Services staff;
  • Additional information may be requested to determine eligibility for services.

Disability Support Services maintains disability files and diagnostic testing information for seven years after the student either graduates, transfers, or leaves the university.  After that time, the confidential files are destroyed.  If a student does not attend the University of Northern Colorado but has submitted documentation, the files will be destroyed after two years.  Consequently,  the student should maintain his/her own copy of the diagnostic information.

Relevant information regarding the student's disability may be shared with those who have a legitimate educational interest.