Documentation of a Physical Disability

Students who are seeking support services from Saint Martin’s University based on a diagnosed physical disability are required to submit documentation to verify eligibility.  Documentation of a physical disability consists of a type written letter/medical documentation, which addresses specific academic needs of the student.  The cost and responsibility for providing this information shall be borne by the student.

The following guidelines are provided in the interest of assuring the letter is appropriate for documenting eligibility.  Documentation presented to Disability Support Services will remain in a private confidential file in the Office of Disability Support Services.  The Director of Disability Support Services is available to consult with physician(s) regarding these guidelines.  The letter should:

1.       be prepared by a licensed professional (e.g. physician,
          audiologist, ophthalmologist, etc).  Additional information may
          be necessary from other professional physicians or from other
          allied health care providers, such as but not limited to physical
          therapists, occupational therapists, psychologists, speech
          pathologists, etc.

2.       be comprehensive.  The documentation should provide
          sufficient data to support the particular academic adjustment(s)
          requested.  Since the documentation provided constitutes the
          basis for determining reasonable accommodations, it is in a
          student’s best interest to provide recent and appropriate
          documentation to serve as the basis for decision making about
          a student’s need for accommodations in an academically
          competitive environment.

This letter should be on professional letterhead, signed, and include the licensed professional’s title, license number, address, and phone number.

3.       present clear and specific evidence, which identifies the
          individual’s disability/condition, present level of functioning
          and how the student’s education may be impacted.

4.      provide sufficient data to support the particular academic
         adjustment(s) requested.  The documentation should
         demonstrate the individual has a disability in accordance with
         the American with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the
         Rehabilitation Act of 1973.  Requests, which are not supported
         by documentation, may not be approved without additional
         verification.

Documentation of a Temporary Disability, which interferes in a student’s ability to participate in programs, services, and activities for an extended period of time, will be treated on an individual basis and the policy for disability documentation will apply.  However, the documentation provided should be very current in order to support the need for accommodation.