Attention Deficit Disorder/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Documentation Guidelines
The student is responsible for providing documentation that supports
his/her request for accommodation. It is important that the documentation
clearly establishes that the student has a disability as defined by federal
regulations and that the documentation clearly supports the individual's
request for accommodation. The following documentation guidelines are
provided in the interest of ensuring that documentation of an Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity
Disorder (AD/HD) demonstrates a significant impact on a major life activity
and supports the individual's request for accommodation.
- A qualified professional must condu ct the evaluation: AD/HD
is considered a medical or clinical diagnosis. Professionals conducting
assessment and rendering diagnosis of AD/HD should have appropriate
training, such as developmental pediatric psychologists, neurologists,
psychiatrists, licensed clinical or educational psychologists or a
combination. The name, title, and professional credentials of the evaluator,
including information about license or certification should be clearly
stated in the documentation. All reports should be on letterhead,
dated, signed, and otherwise legible.
- Documentation should be current: The provision of
accommodations is based upon assessment of the current impact of the
student's disabilities on his or her academic performance. Documentation
t hat is outdated or inadequate in scope or content; does not address
the student's current level of functioning; or does not address changes
in the student's performance since the previous assessment was conducted
may not support requested accommodations . When appropriate, additional
supportive documentation will be requested.
- Documentation necessary
to substantiate a disability should include:
- Discussion of any history of early impairment.
- Evidence of current
impairment:
- Statement of presenting problem: A history of the individual's
presenting attentional symptoms should include evidence
of ongoing impulsive/hyperactive or inattentive behaviors that
significantly impair functioning. - And/Or -
- Diagnostic Interview: Information collected should consist
of more than a self-report, as information from third party
sources is critical in diagnosis. Sources may include, but
are not limited to: family history, developmental history,
medical history, psycho-social history, academic histor y,
prior psycho-educational reports, and description of current
functional limitations pertaining to an educational setting.
- Any relevant testing information used to supplement the diagnostic
profile.
- Documentation must clearly state a specific diagnosis (DSM)
and specify which symtoms are present.
- Interpretative summary
based on a comprehensive evaluative p rocess should include:
- Demonstration that alternative explanations have been ruled
out;
- Indication of patterns of inattentivene ss/impulsivity/hyperactivity
across life span and settings used to determine presence of ADHD;
- Indication and discussion of the substantial limitation of
learning;
- Rationale as to why specific accommodations are needed.
And or evidence that a spe cific accommodation has been effective
in the past.
Last Modified:
January 12, 2007
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