Accessibility + Disability Services:
Documentation Requirements - Guidelines

In order for students at Montana State University-Great Falls College of Technology to receive disability-related support services on campus, current documentation of disability must be on file with the Disability Services Coordinator.

Documentation for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADD/ADHD) must be provided by an impartial practitioner who has been trained in the assessment of ADHD and is experienced in assessing the needs of adult learners.

In order to assist Disability Services in collaborating with students to determine appropriate accommodations, we recommend that documentation include the following:

1. A clear statement of the ADD/ADHD, including the DSM-IV diagnosis and a description of supporting past and present symptoms.
   
   
2. Documentation for eligibility must be current, preferably within the last three years.
   
   
3. A summary of assessment procedures and evaluation instruments used to make the diagnosis, and a narrative summary, including all scores, which supports the diagnosis.
   
   
4. Medical information relating to the student's needs, including the impact of medication on the student's ability to meet the demands of the postsecondary environment.
   
   
5. A statement of the functional impact or limitations of the disability on learning or other major life activities and the degree to which it impacts the learning context for which accommodations are being requested.

Further assessment by an appropriate professional may be required of co-existing learning disabilities or other disabling conditions are indicated. If you have any questions regarding the provision of documentation, please contact the Director of Disability and Learning Support Services at 771.4311.

 

In order for students at Montana State University-Great Falls College of Technology to receive disability-related support services on campus, current documentation of disability must be on file with the Disability Services Coordinator.

Documentation for alcoholism must be provided by impartial qualified professionals such as physicians with a specialty in addiction, clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, licensed mental health professionals, or state certified addiction counselors who are supervised by psychologists or psychiatrists.

In order to assist Disability Services in collaborating with students to determine appropriate accommodations, we recommend that documentation include the following:

1. A clear statement of the disability with DSM-IV diagnosis and
   a summary of present symptoms.
   
   
2. A statement of the current impact the alcoholism has on the
   student's functioning.
   
   
3. A summary of assessment procedures and evaluation instruments
   used to make the diagnosis.
   
   
4. A summary of qualitative and quantitative information that
   supports the diagnosis.
   
   
5. Medical information relating to the student's needs, including the
   impact of medication on the student's ability to meet the demands
   of the postsecondary environment.
   
   
6. A statement of the functional impact or limitations of the disability on learning or other major life activities and the degree to which it impacts the learning context for which accommodations are being requested.

Further assessment may be required if coexisting learning disabilities or other disabling conditions are indicated. If you have any questions regarding the provision of documentation, please contact the Director of Disability and Learning Support Services at 771.4311.

 

In order for students at Montana State University-Great Falls College of Technology to receive disability-related support services on campus, current documentation of disability must be on file with the Disability Services Coordinator.

Documentation for blindness/low vision must be provided by an impartial ophthalmologist (preferred) or optometrist.

In order to assist Disability Services in collaborating with students to determine appropriate accommodations, we recommend that documentation include the following:

1. A clear statement of vision-related disability with supporting numerical description that reflects the current impact the blindness or vision loss has on the student's functioning.
   
   
2. A summary of assessment procedures and evaluation instruments used to make the diagnosis, and a summary of evaluation results including standardized scores.
   
   
3. Present symptoms that meet the criteria for diagnosis.
   
   
4. Medical information relating to the student's needs, the status of the individual's vision (static or changing), and its impact on the demands of the academic program.
   
   
5. Narrative or descriptive text providing both quantitative and qualitativeinformation about the student's abilities that might be helpful in understanding the student's profile including functional limitation, the use of corrective lenses and ongoing visual therapy (if appropriate).

Further assessment by an appropriate professional may be required of co-existing learning disabilities or other disabling conditions are indicated. If you have any questions regarding the provision of documentation, please contact the Director of Disability and Learning Support Services at 771.4311.

 

In order for students at Montana State University-Great Falls College of Technology to receive disability-related support services on campus, current documentation of disability must be on file with the Disability Services Coordinator.

Documentation for hearing disorders must be provided by an impartial otolaryngologist, otologist and/or audiologist.                                     

In order to assist Disability Services in collaborating with students to determine appropriate accommodations, we recommend that documentation include the following:

1. A clear statement of deafness or hearing loss, with a recent audiogram that reflects the current impact the deafness or hearing loss has on the student's functioning.
   
   
2. A summary of assessment procedures and evaluation instruments used to make the diagnosis and a narrative summary of evaluation results, if appropriate.
   
   
3. Medical information relating to the student's needs, the status of the individual's hearing (static or changing) and its impact on the student's ability to meet the demands of the postsecondary environment.
   
   
4. A statement regarding the use of hearing aids (if appropriate).
   
   
5. A statement of the functional impact or limitations of the hearing loss on learning or other major life activities and the degree to which it impacts the learning context for which accommodations are being requested.

Further assessment by an appropriate professional may be required if co-existing learning disabilities or other disabling conditions are indicated. If you have any questions regarding the provision of documentation, please contact the Director of Disability and Learning Support Services at 771.4311.

 

In order for students at Montana State University-Great Falls College of Technology to receive disability-related support services on campus, current documentation of disability must be on file with the Disability Services Coordinator.

Documentation for rehabilitated drug/alcohol addiction must be provided by impartial qualified professionals such as physicians with a specialty in addiction, clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, licensed mental health professionals, or state certified addiction counselors who are supervised by psychologists or psychiatrists.

In order to assist Disability Services in collaborating with students to determine appropriate accommodations, we recommend that documentation include the following:

1. A clear statement of successful completion of a supervised drug
   rehabilitation program with DSM-IV diagnosis. A dated statement
   attesting to the compliance with appropriate post-rehabilitation treatment.
   
   
2. A summary of assessment procedures and evaluation instruments
   used to make the diagnosis.
   
   
3. A summary of qualitative and quantitative information that supports the diagnosis.
   
   
4. Medical information relating to the student's needs, including the impact of medication on the student's ability to meet the demands of the postsecondary environment.
   
   
5. A statement of the functional impact or limitations of the disability on learning or other major life activities and the degree to which it impacts the learning context for which accommodations are being requested.

Further assessment may be required if coexisting learning disabilities or other disabling conditions are indicated. If you have any questions regarding the provision of documentation, please contact the Director of Disability and Learning Support Services at 771.4311.

 

In order for students at Montana State University-Great Falls College of Technology to receive disability-related support services on campus, current documentation of disability must be on file with the Disability Services Coordinator.

Documentation for a head or brain injury must be provided by an impartial medical practitioner who has been trained in the assessment of head injury or traumatic brain injury.                               

In order to assist Disability Services in collaborating with students to determine appropriate accommodations, we recommend that documentation include the following:

1. A clear statement of the head or brain injury and the probable site of lesion.
   
   
2. A statement of the current impact the head injury has on the
   student's functioning.
   
   
3. A summary of cognitive and achievement measures used and evaluation results including standardized scores or percentiles used to make the diagnosis.
   
   
4. Medical information relating to the student's needs, including the impact of medication on the student's ability to meet the demands of the postsecondary environment.
   
   
5. A statement of the functional impact or limitations of the disability on learning or other major life activities and the degree to which it impacts the learning context for which accommodations are being requested.

Further assessment by an appropriate professional may be required of co-existing learning disabilities or other disabling conditions are indicated. If you have any questions regarding the provision of documentation, please contact the Director of Disability and Learning Support Services at 771.4311.

 

In order for students at Montana State University-Great Falls College of Technology to receive disability-related support services on campus, current documentation of disability must be on file with the Disability Services Coordinator.

Documentation for physical disabilities or systemic illnesses (including, but not limited to multiple sclerosis, cerebral palsy, chemical sensitivities, spinal cord injuries, cancer, AIDS, muscular dystrophy and spina bifida) must be provided by a medical practitioner with experience and expertise in the assessment and diagnosis of that disorder.                        

In order to assist Disability Services in collaborating with students to determine appropriate accommodations, we recommend that documentation include the following:

1. A clear statement of the medical diagnosis.
   
   
2. A statement of the current impact the disability has on the student's functioning (disabilities that are sporadic or degenerative may require more frequent evaluation).
   
   
3. A summary of assessment procedures and evaluation instruments used to make the diagnosis, including evaluation results and standardized scores if applicable.
   
   
4. Medical information relating to the student's needs, including the impact of medication on the student's ability to meet the demands of the postsecondary environment.
   
   
5. A statement of the functional impact or limitations of the disability on learning or other major life activities and the degree to which it impacts the learning context for which accommodations are being requested.

Further assessment by an appropriate professional may be required if co-existing learning disabilities or other disabling conditions are indicated. If you have any questions regarding the provision of documentation, please contact the Director of Disability and Learning Support Services at 771.4311.

 

In order for students at Montana State University-Great Falls College of Technology to receive disability-related support services on campus, current documentation of disability must be on file with the Disability Services Coordinator.

Documentation for psychiatric/psychological disorders (including, but not limited to depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorders and dissociative disorders) must be provided by an impartial licensed mental health professional.

In order to assist Disability Services in collaborating with students to determine appropriate accommodations, we recommend that documentation include the following:

1. A clear statement of the disability, including the DSM-IV diagnosis
   and a summary of present symptoms.
   
   
2. A statement of the current impact the psychiatric/psychological
   condition has on the student's functioning.
   
   
3. A summary of assessment procedures and evaluation instruments used to make the diagnosis, including evaluation results and standardized scores if applicable.
   
   
4. Medical information relating to the student's needs, including the impact of medication on the student's ability to meet the demands of the postsecondary environment.
   
   
5. A statement of the functional impact or limitations of the disability on learning or other major life activities and the degree to which it impacts the learning context for which accommodations are being requested.

Clinical summaries that include the above information are generally sufficient for our documentation needs. If you have any questions regarding the provision of documentation, please contact the Director of Disability and Learning Support Services at 771-4311.

 

In order for students at Montana State University-Great Falls College of Technology to receive disability-related support services on campus, current documentation of disability must be on file with the Disability Services Coordinator.

Documentation for specific learning disabilities (SLD) must be provided by an impartial qualified professional with a degree in a field related to diagnosis of SLD and have at least one year of diagnostic experience with adults and late adolescents.                                                   

In order to assist Disability Services in collaborating with students to determine appropriate accommodations, we recommend that documentation include the following:

Testing that is comprehensive. Administration of only one test is unacceptable and will not fulfill the requirements for documentation. The domains to be addressed include, but are not limited to:

Aptitude

Testing may include either or both of the following preferred instruments:

1. Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-III) with standard scores and percentiles
   
   
2. Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery (WJ-III): Part I, Tests of Cognitive Ability with standard scores and percentiles

Achievement

Current levels of functioning in reading, math and written language must be assessed under timed and untimed conditions as appropriate to corroborate underachievement in specific academic areas. Acceptable instruments include:

1. Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery :
   Part II, Tests of Achievement (WJ-III)
   
   
2. Specific achievement tests like the Nelson-Denny Reading Test or the Woodcock Reading Mastery Tests-Revised.
   
   
3. Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT-III)
   

Information Processing

Specific areas of information processing (e.g. short- and long-term memory, reasoning, sequential memory, auditory and visual processing and processing speed) must be assessed. The following are examples of acceptable instruments:

1. Subtests from the WAIS-III
2. Cognitive portion of the WJ-III
3. Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS-III)
4. Learning Efficiency Test - II

A clear statement that a learning disability is present along with the rationale for this diagnosis.

A narrative summary, including all scores (standard and percentile), which support the diagnosis.

A statement of the current impact the learning disability has on the student's functioning.       

A statement of strengths and needs that will impact the student's ability to meet the demands of the postsecondary environment.

A statement of the functional impact or limitations of the disability on learning or other major life activities and the degree to which it impacts the learning context for which accommodations are being requested.

Further assessment by an appropriate professional may be required if other disabling conditions are indicated. If you have any questions regarding the provision of documentation, please contact the Director of Disability and Learning Support Services at 771.4311.

 

In order for students at Montana State University–Great Falls College of Technology to receive disability-related support services on campus, current documentation of disability must be on file with the Disability Services Coordinator.

Documentation for learning-related visual disabilities, including, but not limited to ocular motility dysfunction (eye movement disorders), vergence dysfunction (inefficiency in using both eyes together), strabismus (misalignment of the eyes), amblyopia (lazy eye), accommodative disorders (focusing problems), visual sensory disorders, and motor integration, must be provided by an impartial optometrist or ophthalmologist.                            

In order to assist Disability Services in collaborating with students to determine appropriate accommodations, we recommend that documentation include the following:

1. A clear statement of learning-related visual disability with supporting numerical description that reflects the current impact the disability has on the student's functioning.
   
   
2. A summary of assessment procedures and evaluation instruments used to make the diagnosis, and a summary of evaluation results including standardized scores.
   
   
3. Medical information relating to the student's needs, the current status of the individual's vision (static or changing), and its impact on the demands of the academic program.
   
   
4. Narrative or descriptive text providing both quantitative and qualitative information about the student's abilities that might be helpful in understanding the student's profile including functional limitation, the use of corrective lenses, ongoing visual therapy (if appropriate), and how the disability may impact the individual in the learning context for which accommodations are being requested.

Further assessment by an appropriate professional may be required of coexisting learning disabilities or other disabling conditions are indicated. If you have any questions regarding the provision of documentation, please contact the Director of Disability and Learning Support Services at 771.4311.