AD/HD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder) Documentation Guidelines
Overview
Students requesting accommodations on the basis of attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) provide documentation by a professional who has undergone appropriate training and has relevant experience in differential diagnosis and the full range of psychiatric disorders (e.g., licensed clinical psychologist, neuropsychologist, psychiatrist and other relevantly trained medical doctors).
For specific guidelines on the criteria for AD/HD documentation please see the Educational Testing Services Policy Statement for Documentation of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in Adolescents and Adults. www.ets.org
In summary:
- A qualified professional must conduct the evaluation
- Documentation should be current (within 3 years)
- Comprehensive documentation should include :
- Evidence of early impairment (parent interviews, report cards, etc.)
- Evidence of current impairment (and level of severity)
- Rule out of alternative diagnoses or explanations
- Relevant testing results
- Identification of DSM-IV criteria
- A specific diagnosis
- Statement of specific functional limitations (especially those involved in attending a post-secondary educational institution, and whether the degree of limitation is mild or severe)
- An interpretative summary
- Accommodation/s recommended by the evaluator should include a rationale
Accommodations and Support Services
Requests for accommodations are considered on an individual basis by taking into account the student's qualifications related to the educational activity, the reasonableness of the request and whether or not the accommodation would fundamentally alter the nature the activity in question.
Impairments rising to the level of disability protect individuals from discrimination on the basis of disability; however, services and accommodations related to those impairments must reflect specific limitations affecting the ability to participate in one or more major life activities.
Documentation
For a student to qualify for service at the DRC, an approved licensed professional must complete an AD/HD Documentation Form.
Students themselves must also complete and return an Application for Services Form with the disability documentation.