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- Physical Disability Documentation Requirements
- Home
- Online Office of Disability Accommodation Support- ODAS
- Physical Disability Documentation Requirements
Physical Disability Documentation Requirements
Physical Disabilities/Impairments and Chronic Illnesses or Disorders
The information below, based on the Association of Higher Education and Disabilities (AHEAD) guidelines, is used to determine a student’s eligibility for academic accommodations in Liberty University online classes under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and the policies of the Office of Disability Accommodation Support.
Students requesting academic accommodations from the Liberty University Online Office of Disability Accommodation Support are required to submit documentation of a disability in order to verify their eligibility under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and ODAS policies. The evaluator’s report must document a disability as defined by the ADA as “a substantial limitation of a major life function.”
Please note: Temporary illnesses or impairments, including conditions such as, but not limited to, cold, flu, normal pregnancy, sprained appendages, etc. are not considered for accommodations.
Currency
Since any academic accommodations given to a student are based upon the present effect of the disability on the student, medical documentation used to request accommodations should be no more than 3 years old. However, exceptions to this amount of time may be made based on the nature of the disability/impairment/illness itself, as well as the accommodations requested.
Diagnostician Qualifications
Certified healthcare professionals are qualified to complete this assessment. If the student’s condition warrants such action, an assessment from a specialist working in the field of the student’s disability/impairment/illness is preferred.
Diagnostic Report and Summarization
The diagnostic report and summary must include, but is not limited to, the following information:
- Summary of assessment
- A specific diagnosis based on the criteria set forth in the DSM-IV, if applicable
- Standard scores or percentiles of any testing given, if applicable
- Information pertaining to any relevant medical, psychological, educational, behavioral, or familial history that may impact the student academically, as well as any current information from these areas as well
- A clear, direct statement of any current major life functions limited by the student’s condition, as well as a summary of any present symptoms the student is experiencing
- Suggestions (from the evaluator) for specific accommodations to be administered on behalf of the student in a post-secondary academic setting that is supported by the student’s testing results and subsequent diagnosis
This summary must:
- Be written on letterhead from the evaluator
- Be signed and dated by the evaluator
- Include the specific dates of testing
- Include professional credentials
- Include contact information for the evaluator
Submission Information
Documentation can be sent using LU Accommodate.
The LU Accommodate tool is offered by ODAS to streamline the review, approval, and delivery of accommodations.
For more information, please contact luoodas@liberty.edu or call (800) 424-9595.
Note: Medical documentation will be reviewed periodically for all current students. Students may be asked to provide updated medical documentation for conditions that may change over time and whose medical documentation is past the required currency at the time of the review. Students are also encouraged to send in medical documentation when changes in their medical condition occur.