Students requesting accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 must provide documentation of a diagnosed visual impairment that substantially limits a major life activity. Documentation and recommendations must be appropriate to the postsecondary setting. The report must describe the current impact of the disability on the student’s academic performance.

1. Documentation must be current: Although some individuals have long-standing or permanent diagnoses, because of the changing manifestations of many visual impairments, it is essential for those individuals to provide recent and appropriate documentation from a qualified evaluator.
   
   
2. Documentation must be comprehensive and should include:
   


• A detailed summary of vision related disability



• Description of the current symptoms, fluctuating conditions/symptoms and prognosis
  
  
• A summary of the assessment procedures used to make the diagnosis
  
  
• Present symptoms that meet the criteria for diagnosis (e.g. visual acuity as well as tracking and fusion difficulties including but not limited to eye movement disorders, inefficiency in using both eyes together, misalignment of the eyes, lazy eye, focusing problems, visual sensory disorders, and motor integration)
  
  
• Medical information relating to the individual’s needs and the status of the individual’s vision (static or changing) and its impact on the demands of the academic program
  
  
• Medical information which may be important in a college/university environment, including any medication and whether there are side effects of the prescribed medication and whether there are crisis episodes associated with the disability
  
  
• A summary of appropriate treatment (e.g. corrective lenses or ongoing visual therapy)
  
  
3. Recommendation for choosing a qualified professional:
   
   
   • Qualified evaluators are defined as those licensed individuals who are qualified to evaluate and diagnose individuals who are blind or visually impaired. These individuals or team members may include physicians, Ophthalmologists or Optometrists, and other relevantly trained healthcare professionals qualified to make such diagnoses.
     
     
   • Finally, the name, title, and credentials of the qualified professional writing the report should be included. Information about licensure or certification, including the area of specialization, employment, and the state or province in which the individual practices, should also be clearly stated in the documentation. All reports should be typed on professional letterhead, dated, and signed.
     
     
4. Suggestions of reasonable accommodations that might be appropriate at the postsecondary level are encouraged. These recommendations should be supported by the diagnosis. Include rationale for each accommodation requested. The clinician must describe the degree of impact of the disorder on a specific major life activity, as well as the degree of impact on the individual. A link must be established between the requested accommodations and the functional limitations of the individual that are pertinent to the anticipated academic situation. Please note that Disability Services will make the final determination of eligibility for accommodations.

*** Note that submission of documentation is not the same as the request for services. You still must complete the Service Request Form. The RCDS cannot support any accommodation requests until the documentation is complete.