The Association on
Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) in Virginia,
is a statewide
organization of professionals committed to full participation in higher
education for persons with disabilities. The Association is a vital
resource, promoting excellence through education, communication and
training.
Click
HERE
to go to the National
AHEAD Website
Topic: Documentation Guidelines
Virginia Higher Education
Guidelines for Documentation of Disability
PURPOSE:
This document defines best practices for developing and maintaining consistent, comprehensive and appropriate guidelines for documenting disabilities and requests for accommodations. It is recommended that the guidelines be used by institutions of higher education, qualified professionals, and secondary education professionals involved in transition planning. The information provides a framework for institutions to establish policies and procedures that are adapted to their specific context, while embracing both the spirit and letter of the law. It is not meant to be a legal treatise and should not be considered legal advice. Institutions are encouraged to consult with their legal counsel before implementing new policies on documentation.
THE NEED FOR DOCUMENTATION:
Under federal law (Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the American with Disabilities Act of 1990), individuals with disabilities are defined as having ג€a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities of such individual; a record of such impairment, or being regarded as having such an impairment.ג€ Individuals with disabilities are protected from discrimination in admissions and employment. With adequate documentation of the current impact of the disability, individuals are entitled to appropriate accommodations. Therefore, documentation serves two primary purposes in post-secondary education.