All Knowledgebase Articles

Testing accommodations are provided to students who are registered with Student Accessibility Services and have been approved for this accommodation.

A licensed Doctor of Optometry or a licensed medical doctor with certification in Ophthalmology will be viewed as qualified to substantiate disabilities of vision. Ophthalmologists are the primary professionals involved in the diagnosis and medical treatment of individuals who are blind or experience low vision.

Head injury and traumatic brain injury are considered medical or clinical diagnoses. Individuals qualified to render a diagnosis for these disorders are practitioners who have been trained in the assessment of head injury or traumatic brain injury. 

Speech and language disorders refer to problems in communication and related areas such as oral motor function. Communication disorders include stuttering, impaired articulation, language impairment, and voice impairment that adversely affects a student’s educational performance.

"Psychiatric disabilities" is a generic term referring to a variety of conditions involving psychological, emotional, cognitive, and/or behavioral disorders and symptoms. Professionals conducting assessments, rendering diagnoses of psychiatric disabilities, and making recommendations for accommodations must be qualified to do so. 

Physical disabilities include medical disabilities such as chronic health disorders and mobility impairments. Any physical disability or systemic illness is considered to have a medical basis and thus requires documentation by a licensed medical professional.

Professionals providing documentation must have comprehensive training and experience in the relevant specialty and hold appropriate licensure and/or certification. Audiologists, speech and hearing specialists or other licensed medical practitioners who are qualified to diagnose and treat hearing disorders can provide the documentation.

In order to be considered a valid measure of functioning, all assessments must be provided by a licensed professional qualified to make the evaluation. This can include a developmental pediatrician, a developmental medical doctor, or a neuropsychiatrist/psychologist. An assessment from a general practitioner typically does not suffice.

Because of the complex medical nature of ADHD, students must have their disability verified by a diagnostician with expertise in the diagnosis of ADHD. The diagnostician must have comprehensive training in the differential diagnosis of ADHD and pertinent psychiatric disorders and direct experience with adult learners.