Western State College of Colorado

DISABILITY SERVICES HANDBOOK 2008 - 2009

Documentation Guidelines

Students with disabilities who request disability support services at Western State College are required to submit documentation to verify eligibility under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Complete and appropriate documentation is necessary to determine eligibility for accommodations, auxiliary aids, and/or services.

Disability documentation should reflect current levels of skills, abilities, and needs for support services. For most students, documentation should be no older than three years. For students age 21 and older where sufficient evidence is provided by the student indicating that the disability has been evaluated regularly without significant changes in skills and needs across time, it may be appropriate to extend the length of time the documentation will be considered valid. Disabilities that are sporadic or degenerative in nature may require more frequent evaluation as needed for accommodation change. Generally, an Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) or a 504 Plan is not sufficient documentation of a disability. Documentation must be on official letterhead with names, titles, professional credentials, addresses, and phone/fax numbers of the evaluator(s), as well as the official date(s) of testing.

Documentation guidelines are available to assist the Disability Services (DS) staff in collaborating with each student to ensure that the documentation is complete and to determine individualized and appropriate accommodations, auxiliary aids, and/or services. The cost of obtaining documentation will be borne by the student. DS staff will review the appropriateness of submitted documentation on a case-by-case basis. Additional documentation may be requested to determine eligibility for services. Pending receipt of documentation, DS reserves the right to deny accommodations, auxiliary aids, and/or services. Note: Submission of documentation is not the same as the request for services. The student must initiate requests for accommodations, auxiliary aids, and/or services by contacting DS.

Information regarding a student’s documentation is confidential. All documentation and files related to a student’s disability are housed in the DS office and are not part of the student’s college record. Students should keep a copy of their documentation. DS holds this information for five years after the student leaves the College, at which time it is destroyed.

Documentation should be submitted to:

Disability Services
College Union 201
Western State College
Gunnison, CO 81230

(970) 943-7056

Documentation guidelines for:

• ADHD
• Blind/Low Vision
• Deaf/Hard of Hearing
• Head Injury/Traumatic Brain Injury
• Physical Disabilities & Systemic Illnesses
• Psychiatric/Psychological Disabilities
• Rehabilitated Drug Addiction/Alcoholism
• Specific Learning Disability

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