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What Documentation Do I Need To Provide?

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The student's documentation must include a diagnostic report prepared by a qualified professional who has comprehensive training and relevant expertise in the specialty and appropriate licensure or certification. This person cannot be related to the student. The report must indicate diagnosis; the basis for the diagnosis; the functional impact of the disability and/or treatment plan on the student in a postsecondary educational setting, and recommendations for accommodations. The OSD maintains Documentation Guidelines specific to the diagnosis for reference. A history of the student's accommodations at the K-12 level or in higher education institutions must also be presented. Documentation for physical, sensory, or learning disabilities, or chronic medical conditions, must have been prepared within the past five years; documentation for psychiatric disabilities must have been prepared within the past six months. The OSD will confirm that the diagnostician's report is competent and reliable and that it identifies a disability. Once confirmed, this report, along with the student's self-report on how the disability impacts his or her participation in curricular programs and the student's history of accommodation all serve as the basis for the OSD staff and the student to arrive at reasonable accommodations for that student and the area of study.

If a student does not have relevant documentation, the staff will assist the student in locating a qualified professional in the Chicagoland area who can provide an evaluation. If a diagnosis is not confirmed the staff will discuss with the student other appropriate sources of assistance on campus. The OSD staff will not share specific information on a student's disability unless requested to do so by the student.

Is a High School IEP Enough to Demonstrate a Disability?
An Individualized Education Plan which records the history of accommodations and services provided to a student in high school is certainly a helpful document for us to see. However, it is not in itself sufficient documentation unless it includes the information stated above. Nonetheless, an IEP does allow us to see what kinds of accommodations have been provided in the past to a student, and an IEP often will offer suggestions on what kinds of learning approaches might be helpful. Other letters of support from tutors, teachers, and other professionals are similarly not a basis for providing accommodations at Aurora University, although they may provide helpful information in understanding what approaches have worked for a student in the past.