Students with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often face new academic challenges when they enter college. Changes from the structure of living at home to the independence of living away from home‚ and from the support provided in high school to the expectations in college can be overwhelming for new students.

The educational impact of ADHD often includes difficulty sustaining attention to tasks; maintaining attentive listening; organizing‚ planning‚ and completing tasks; and a tendency to be distractable. In addition‚ there may be issues with restlessness‚ rapid thought processes‚ and difficulty maintaining a receptive posture. With medication and behavioral strategies‚ students can generally learn to compensate for these symptoms and are able to focus and process information competently‚ although additional time to complete tasks may continue to be necessary‚ depending on the circumstances.

It is important for students with ADHD who are preparing to enter UK to register with the Disability Resource Center (DRC) soon after acceptance. The DRC can play a vital role in providing students with information‚ resources‚ and support to improve their efforts in making these transitions and completing their educational degree programs.

All students must provide proof of the disability and the need for accommodations before services can be provided. This will usually be in the form of a psychological report or medical statement and the documentation must be signed by a qualified licensed psychologist‚ psychiatrist‚ neuropsychologist or relevantly trained medical physician. The documentation must provide current impact of the disability. We request any psychological report or medical statement submitted be current.

Current documentation should validate the need for services based on the individual’s current level of functioning in the educational setting. A current psychological report or medical statement must:

• Written or printed document on official letterhead which includes the address, telephone number, name, title, and professional credentials of the evaluator.
• Signed by Certified/Licensed Professional qualified to make the diagnosis.
• Clearly stated diagnosis.
• Description of functional limitations.
• Current, depending on the diagnosis, as within a timeframe of or near 16 years of age to determine current impact. NOTE: Currency does not apply to physical or sensory disabilities of a permanent or unchanging nature.
• Include educational, developmental, and medical history relevant to the disability and accommodations requested.
• Include a list of all test instruments used in evaluation report and relevant subtest scores used to document the stated disability. NOTE: Test instruments may not apply to physical or sensory disabilities of a permanent or unchanging nature.
• Recommend specific accommodations requested.
• Provide support for requested accommodations.

If you have any questions regarding the necessary documentation, please contact the DRC for clarification.

A wide range of medical conditions and health disorders exist in this category as they can functionally limit an individual in one or more major life activities. Some of these disorders include:

• AIDS
• Severe Allergies
• Cardiovascular Disease/Impairments
• Cystic Fibrosis
• Diabetes
• Cancer
• Epilepsy
• Gastro–Intestinal Diseases
• Hepatitis
• Multiple Sclerosis
• Renal Disease
• Severe Asthma

These disorders can affect the individual’s cognitive and/or motor functions‚ and cause fatigue. Individuals report that these disorders are often acute by nature but on occasion their conditions “flare–up” and present temporary functional limitations. Because of the unpredictability of such conditions and the impact that symptoms present to the college student‚ the Disability Resource Center (DRC) suggests that students who have such disorders should register and provide medical documentation about their particular disorders. DRC staff will determine if the student qualifies to receive accommodations. Services that may be available to individuals with chronic health or medical impairments include:

• Priority registration
• Test accommodations
• Arranging for special housing needs
• Parking

Students requesting accommodations for a permanent or temporary disability or chronic health condition must provide proof that the disability/health condition exists before academic accommodations will be provided. The diagnosis of a disability or medical condition must be current and provide justification for the accommodation(s) the student is requesting. All documentation must be provided by a qualified professional such as a physician or a vocational rehabilitation professional. The credentials of the evaluator‚ including certification‚ licensure‚ and professional training‚ must be clearly stated in the documentation and must be written on the professional’s letterhead stationery or in the form provided by the DRC (prescription pad notes are not acceptable forms of documentation).

Disability documentation usually takes the form of a medical assessment. It should be a comprehensive assessment including:

• Clearly state the diagnosis
• Descriptions of the diagnostic criteria and diagnostic test(s) used to establish the existence of a disability or medical condition;
• Functional impact of the disability on specific major life activities (e.g.‚ learning‚ walking‚ talking‚ concentrating‚ seeing);
• Treatments‚ accommodations‚ assistive devices‚ and support services currently employed to ameliorate the disability or minimize its impact;
• Recommendations and the rationale for proposed accommodations‚ assistive devices‚ and support services.

Once a student’s disability documentation is received‚ qualified University personnel will evaluate the documentation to determine whether it meets the required standards. If a student does not have current documentation and cannot locate the professionals who originally performed the initial diagnosis‚ the Disability Resource Center can provide referral information. Students are reminded that an adequate amount of time is needed‚ once they have provided medical documentation‚ to evaluate their accommodation request and review their records and approve accommodations. Students are strongly advised to register with the Disability Resourced Center before starting their first academic term. To see if you qualify or to get additional information contact the Disability Resource Center at drc@uky.edu.

The DRC provides reasonable accommodations for students who are deaf or hard of hearing. Accommodations may include‚ but are not necessarily limited to:

• Priority Registration
• Note taking assistance
• Sign language or oral interpreters
• Notification of faculty regarding use of FM systems and in-class accommodations

Students are encouraged to contact the DRC to register and discuss their needs once they are admitted so their accommodations can be arranged. In order to receive timely sign language interpreting services‚ students requiring sign language or oral interpreters should contact the DRC two weeks prior to the date services are needed. Students who are requesting services from the DRC are required to submit documentation to verify eligibility and support requested accommodations. Students must submit current documentation that clearly states that the individual is deaf or the degree of hearing loss with a current audiogram. The age of disability documentation for individuals who are hard of hearing is dependent upon the student’s condition and the nature of the student’s request for accommodation. If one's hearing loss changes‚ documentation will need to be updated to support change in accommodation.

Deafness Documentation Guidelines:

• Clinical diagnosis from an audiologist‚ speech and hearing specialist or other qualified medical professional;
• Letter from the student’s Vocational Rehabilitation counselor.

Hard–of–Hearing documentation guidelines:

• Documentation must include a clinical diagnosis by an audiologist‚ a speech and hearing specialist or other qualified medical professional.
• Current audiogram;
• Summary of assessment procedures and evaluation instruments that were used to diagnose the condition;
• Relevant medical information relating to the student’s functioning‚ i.e.‚ is the condition permanent‚ static or changing‚ and the impact upon their daily functioning;
• Statement of functional impacts or limitations upon the individual with respect to major life activity and their need for accommodation in an academic setting;
• States the need for or the use of assistive listening devices‚ interpreters‚ captioning‚ etc.

Providing this information and having a history of the disability in elementary or secondary school does not automatically guarantee that one will receive the requested services. The information is evaluated for validity by qualified University personnel to determine whether criteria are met and to establish eligibility for services as a student with disabilities‚ according to University guidelines and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Students must provide current documentation of their diagnosis to the DRC and schedule an appointment to discuss their accommodation needs.

The DRC offers and coordinates a variety of services for students with physical disabilities. All students with disabilities are required to register with the Center‚ provide documentation of their disabilities and make a formal request for disability accommodation. After the documentation has been received‚ a disability services consultant will review your documentation and your request for accommodation and will determine the services and accommodations you will receive. All student requests for disability accommodation are evaluated on a case by case basis and the DRC staff base their determination for services and accommodations on how the documented disability functionally limits the individual in an academic setting.

Students requesting accommodations for a permanent or temporary disability or chronic health condition must provide proof that the disability/health condition exists before academic accommodations will be provided. The diagnosis of a disability or medical condition must be current and provide justification for the accommodation(s) the student is requesting. All documentation must be provided by a qualified professional such as a physician or a vocational rehabilitation professional. The credentials of the evaluator‚ including certification‚ licensure‚ and professional training‚ must be clearly stated in the documentation and must be written on the professional’s letterhead stationery (prescription pad notes are not acceptable forms of documentation).

Disability documentation usually takes the form of a medical assessment. It must be a comprehensive assessment including:

• Descriptions of the diagnostic criteria and diagnostic test(s) used to establish the existence of a disability or medical condition;
• Functional impact of the disability on specific major life activities (e.g.‚ learning‚ walking‚ talking‚ concentrating‚ seeing);
• Treatments‚ accommodations‚ assistive devices‚ and support services currently employed to ameliorate the disability or minimize its impact;
• Recommendations and the rationale for proposed accommodations‚ assistive devices‚ and support services;

In order for accommodations to be in place at the beginning of the academic term‚ students with physical disabilities are strongly urged to contact and register with the Disability Resource Center as soon as possible.

Services that may be available to physically disabled students include:

• Accessible campus housing arrangements
• Accessible classroom furniture
• Assistive technology – Equipment and Software
• Disability Parking
• Exam accommodations
• Priority registration
• Relocation of classrooms to accessible locations

The DRC provides a variety of services to students who are blind or visually impaired. The following are available services:

• Alternative print format for course materials and textbooks
• Auxiliary aids
• Testing accommodation
• Building and classroom accessibility information
• Priority registration
• Adaptive Technology Lab
• Adaptive Technology Study Lab in William T. Young Library
• Assistance in locating readers

The provision of these services and academic accommodations are based upon individual student need. It is crucial that new students contact the DRC once they are accepted for admission to UK to insure timely delivery of services‚ adaptive equipment and/or accessible materials. When students register for services they should also submit current and comprehensive disability documentation and make a formal request for academic accommodations. When the student’s disability documentation and accommodation request have been received‚ DRC staff will review the information and request a meeting with the student to discuss their academic accommodations. The DRC will produce letters to the student’s faculty requesting academic accommodations for each of their classes. The letters are produced‚ upon the student’s request‚ at the beginning of each semester. Students are required to meet with each of their faculty and submit their letters requesting academic accommodation. When meeting with faculty‚ students should be prepared to discuss their request for classroom accommodation and make preliminary exam arrangements.

The following guidelines are being provided to ensure that the documentation is complete and appropriate for assessing student need and providing reasonable accommodations are:

Documentation of visual disability must be provided by an ophthalmologist or optometrist on official office stationary or letterhead and include the clinician’s signature. Things to include in the documentation are:

• A clear clinical diagnosis (blind‚ partially sighted‚ etc.);
• Severity of the condition;
• Cause of visual impairment (states if the cause is congenital‚ injury or disease related‚ etc.);
• Date of onset;
• Visual field and acuity (does condition effect ability to discriminate in different levels light and darkness‚ see color‚ etc.);
• The functional limitation(s) or impact the condition may have on the person with particular emphasis on learning in higher education or on other major life activity (reading‚ mobility‚ seeing the blackboard‚ etc.);
• Lists any auxiliary aids and assistive technology that the individual employs to circumvent stated functional limitations.

Should individuals have additional functional limitations due to a multiple disability diagnosis or other chronic health issues‚ documentation is required to support the request for those accommodations.

For information on how to procure books and materials in alternative format visit Accessible Textbook

College students with communication disorders present with a number of different individual needs for strategies and accommodations. Communication disorders include the following diagnosis:

• Central Auditory Processing Disorder
• Receptive Language Disorder
• Expressive Language Disorder
• Stuttering

The educational impact of communication disorders often includes difficulty with attending to lectures‚ taking notes‚ organizing and sequencing presentations‚ public speaking‚ and processing speed. There may also be social components of these diagnoses that impact interactions of college students. With accommodations and behavioral strategies‚ students can generally learn to manage these symptoms and process information competently. It is recommended that students with learning disabilities who are preparing to enter UK register with the Disability Resource Center (DRC) soon after acceptance. The DRC can play a vital role in providing students with information‚ strategies‚ other campus resources‚ and support to improve their academic efforts and complete their educational degree programs.

Students must provide current documentation of their diagnosis to the DRC. This will usually be in the form of a speech/language evaluation‚ an audiological evaluation‚ a psychological assessment‚ or a neurological report. The documentation must be signed by a qualified licensed speech pathologist‚ audiologist‚ neurologist‚ or neuropsychologist.

For Expressive or Receptive Language Disorders‚ please see Learning Disability Documentation Guidelines for learning disabilities.

For Central Auditory Processing Disorder, Stuttering, or other Communication Disorders:

The documentation must provide current impact of the disability. We require the documentation to be current. Providing this information and having a history of the disability in elementary or secondary school does not automatically guarantee that one will receive the requested services. The information is evaluated for validity by qualified University personnel to determine whether criteria are met and to establish eligibility for services as a student with disabilities‚ according to University guidelines and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Current documentation should validate the need for services based on the individual’s current level of functioning in the educational setting. A current psychological report or medical statement must:

• Written or printed document on official letterhead which includes the address, telephone number, name, title, and professional credentials of the evaluator.
• Signed by Certified/Licensed Professional qualified to make the diagnosis.
• Clearly stated diagnosis.
• Description of functional limitations.
• Current, depending on the diagnosis, as within a timeframe of or near 16 years of age to determine current impact. NOTE: Currency does not apply to physical or sensory disabilities of a permanent or unchanging nature.
• Include educational, developmental, and medical history relevant to the disability and accommodations requested.
• Include a list of all test instruments used in evaluation report and relevant subtest scores used to document the stated disability. NOTE: Test instruments may not apply to physical or sensory disabilities of a permanent or unchanging nature.
• Recommend specific accommodations requested.
• Provide support for requested accommodations.

College students with neurological disorders present with a number of different individual needs for strategies and accommodations. In addition to ADHD‚ Learning Disabilities‚ and Communication Disorders‚ neurological disorders include the following diagnosis:

• Traumatic Brain Injury

• Epilepsy/Seizure Disorder

• Tourette’s Disorder

• Autism Spectrum Disorder

The educational impact of Neurological disorders often includes difficulty focusing attention and concentration on tasks; problems organizing‚ planning‚ and completing tasks; and‚ at times‚ the need to miss class. There may also be social components of these diagnosis that impact interactions of college students. With medication and behavioral strategies‚ students can generally learn to manage these symptoms and focus and process information competently. It is important for students with neurological disorders who are preparing to enter UK register with the Disability Resource Center (DRC) soon after acceptance. The DRC can play a vital role in providing students with information‚ strategies‚ other campus resources‚ and support to improve their efforts in making these transitions and completing their educational degree programs. Students must provide current documentation of their diagnosis to the DRC. This will usually be in the form of a psychological report‚ neurological report‚ or medical statement and the documentation must be signed by a qualified licensed psychologist‚, psychiatrist‚ neurologist‚ neuropsychologist or relevantly trained medical physician.The documentation must provide current impact of the disability. We require a psychological report or medical statement to be current. Evaluation reports with the initial diagnosis which are older than one year may be provided to supplement the current documentation in providing important background information.

Providing this information and having a history of the disability does not automatically guarantee that one will receive the requested services. The information is evaluated for validity by qualified University personnel with current expertise in psychological evaluations to determine whether criteria are met and to establish eligibility for services as a student with disabilities‚ according to University guidelines and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).Current documentation should validate the need for services based on the individual’s current level of functioning in the educational setting. A current psychological report or medical statement must:

• Written or printed document on official letterhead which includes the address, telephone number, name, title, and professional credentials of the evaluator.
• Signed by Certified/Licensed Professional qualified to make the diagnosis.
• Clearly stated diagnosis.
• Description of functional limitations.
• Current, depending on the diagnosis, as within a timeframe of or near 16 years of age to determine current impact. NOTE: Currency does not apply to physical or sensory disabilities of a permanent or unchanging nature.
• Include educational, developmental, and medical history relevant to the disability and accommodations requested.
• Include a list of all test instruments used in evaluation report and relevant subtest scores used to document the stated disability. NOTE: Test instruments may not apply to physical or sensory disabilities of a permanent or unchanging nature.
• Recommend specific accommodations requested.
• Provide support for requested accommodations.

Students with learning disabilities may find the transition to college challenging. Typical concerns for students with learning disabilities may include one or more of the following: slow reading/processing rate; poor memory skills; problems organizing and sequencing ideas; frequent spelling errors; difficulty taking notes; low math reasoning; problems with basic math operations; poor study skills; difficulty organizing‚ planning‚ and completing tasks. With reasonable classroom accommodations and individualized learning strategies‚ students can generally learn to compensate for these problems and manage their academic expectations competently.

It is recommended that students with learning disabilities who are preparing to enter UK register with the Disability Resource Center (DRC) soon after acceptance. The DRC can play a vital role in providing students with information‚ strategies‚ other campus resources‚ and support to improve their efforts in making these transitions and completing their educational degree programs.

A current‚ comprehensive psycho–educational report or other psychological or medical assessment using adult measures and including complete results‚ with full tables of subtests and standard scores‚ is required. Professionals conducting assessments of learning disabilities must be credentialed or licensed psychologists or related professionals and have experience in the assessment of learning disabilities in adolescents and adults. We require this information to be current, preferably not more than three years old. Providing this information and having a history of the disability in elementary or secondary school does not automatically guarantee that one will receive the requested services. The information is evaluated for validity by qualified University personnel with current expertise in LD evaluations and professionally accepted criteria for diagnosing the disability. If one does not have current documentation‚ a testing service is available on campus for a fee. Professionals in the community also provide testing services.

Current documentation should validate the need for services based on the individual’s current level of functioning in the educational setting. A comprehensive assessment battery and the resulting diagnostic report should include a diagnostic interview‚ assessment of aptitude‚ academic achievement‚ information processing‚ and a diagnosis. The psychological and educational assessment report should include a complete profile of test results‚ including subtest scores‚ reported in standard scores. Assessment‚ and any resulting diagnosis‚ should consist of and be based on a comprehensive assessment battery which does not rely on any one test or subtest. Minimally‚ the domains to be addressed must include the following:

Essential components:

• Qualified Evaluator. The documentation should include the name, title, and professional credentials of the evaluator, including information about license or certification, typed on letterhead, dated, and signed by the evaluator. Professionals qualified to conduct evaluations include clinical or educational psychologists; school psychologists; neuropsychologists; and some medical doctors with demonstrated training and experience in the assessment of learning disorders in adolescents and adults. Use of diagnostic terminology indicating a diagnosis of a specific learning disorder by someone whose training and experience is not in these fields and who is not qualified to conduct a comprehensive valid intellectual assessment (i.e., IQ measures) is not acceptable.

* NOTE: Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, and Dyscalculia are medical terms referencing the educational terms Specific Learning Disorder specific to areas of reading, writing, or math. These diagnoses terms may be used interchangeably (i.e., Dyslexia/Learning Disorder in Reading), and these Specific Learning Disorder documentation guidelines apply, in accordance with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-V).

• Current. Reasonable accommodations and services are based on assessment of the current impact of the student’s disabilities on academic performance. Student needs are best assessed when the student provides recent and appropriate documentation, within a timeframe of at least 16 years of age to determine current impact.
• Description of educational background and relevant developmental history

Psychoeducational evaluation which provides clear evidence of a Specific Learning Disorder based on objective measures demonstrating a substantial limitation to learning. Report is to include:

• Aptitude/Cognitive Ability. A comprehensive valid intellectual assessment reporting all subtests and standard scores. Preferred tests include Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale – IV (WAIS-IV) or Woodcock-Johnson-IV Tests of Cognitive Ability. (Brief forms are not intended for diagnosis.)
• Academic Achievement. A comprehensive academic achievement battery which assesses areas of reading, writing, verbal expression, math, and fluency. Preferred tests include Wechsler Individual Achievement Test–III (WIAT-III) or Woodcock-Johnson-IV Tests of Achievement.
• Memory and Information Processing. Evaluation of different cognitive processes are often derived from subtests on cognitive and achievement measures. Tests such as Wide Range Assessment of Memory and Learning - Second Edition (WRAML-2) or Wechsler Memory Scales IV may be included.

Adapted from Educational Testing Services website www.ets.org/disabilities/documentation : Policy Statement for Documentation of a Learning Disability in Adolescents and Adults, Third Edition 2015, in May 2018. These documentation guidelines have been endorsed by Kentucky Association for Higher Education and Disability, May 2018.