Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) Documentation Guidelines
This document provides students, schools, professional diagnosticians, and service providers with a common understanding and knowledge base of the components of documentation that are necessary to validate the existence of ADHD, the impact of ADHD on the individual’s educational performance, and the need for accommodations for students seeking reasonable academic accommodations at the University of Pennsylvania. The information and documentation to be submitted should be comprehensive in order to avoid or reduce unnecessary time delays in decision making related to the provision of services.
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, individuals with disabilities are protected from discrimination and assured equal access. To establish that an individual is covered under the ADA, the documentation must indicate that the disability substantially limits some major life activity, including learning. The following documentation requirements are provided in the interest of assuring that documentation of ADHD demonstrates an impact on a major life activity, is appropriate to verify eligibility, and supports the request for accommodations, academic adjustments, and/or auxiliary aids.
In the main section of the document, information is presented in four important areas: (1) qualifications of the evaluator; (2) recency of documentation; (3) comprehensiveness of the documentation to substantiate the ADHD; and (4) evidence to establish a rationale to support the need for accommodation(s).
Learning Disability Documentation Guidelines
This document provides students, schools, professional diagnosticians, and service providers with a common understanding and knowledge base of those components of documentation that are necessary to validate a learning disability and the need for reasonable accommodations for students seeking academic accommodations at the University of Pennsylvania. The information and documentation to be submitted should be comprehensive in order to avoid or reduce time delays in decision-making related to the provision of services for students with learning disabilities.
Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, individuals with learning disabilities are guaranteed certain protections and rights to equal access to programs and services. In order to access these rights, an individual must present documentation indicating that the disability substantially limits some major life activity, including learning. The following documentation requirements are provided in the interest of assuring that LD documentation is appropriate to verify eligibility and to support requests for accommodations, academic adjustments, and/or auxiliary aids. Requirements for documentation are presented in four important areas: (1) qualifications of the evaluator; (2) recency of documentation; (3) appropriate clinical documentation to substantiate the disability; and (4) evidence to establish a rationale supporting the need for accommodations.