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Disabilities Services ~ Documentation Guidelines
Students with disabilities who are attending Raritan Valley Community College must provide appropriate documentation of their disability in order to receive academic accommodations based on that disability. Students requesting services for specific disabilities should refer to the following information found below in this document:
- Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
- Blindness and Low Vision
- Deafness and Hard of Hearing
- Learning Disabilities
- Physical/Medical Disabilities
- Psychological/Psychiatric Disabilities
- Traumatic Brain Injuries
New and visiting students must make an appointment with Disability Services to review the documentation and to determine the reasonable accommodations to be provided under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). It is the student's responsibility to initiate contact with Disability Services, provide appropriate documentation of the disability and its impact on the academic tasks for which accommodations are being requested. The cost of obtaining professional documentation is the student's responsibility. This process follows the guidelines of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. It is designed to assure that reasonable accommodations are provided to all qualified students in a timely manner. A diagnosis of a disorder/condition/syndrome in and of itself does not automatically qualify an individual for accommodations under the ADA. Students are responsible to follow the process in order to receive accommodations.
Each student's academic accommodations will be determined on an individual basis and will be based on appropriate documentation and in accordance with RVCC Policies and Procedures.
Appointments may be made by calling the Student Enrollment Center at 908-218-8864. Additional information or inquiries may be made by e-mail att DisabilityServices@raritanval.edu or by fax at 908-704-3442.
Please note that this statement applies to all conditions noted below: In order to meet the adult criteria of "disability" under these federal laws a person must provide documentation of how his/her significant impairment ‘substantially limits’ his/her academic functioning. A "significant impairment" means below average functioning. An IEP or 504 plan from the public school system is not documentation of a disability for the purposes of proving accommodations at the college level. Educational, Psychological and Social Assessments that are current within three years will meet the documentation criteria.
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Students with disabilities who are attending Raritan Valley Community College must provide documentation of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder to receive academic accommodations based on that disability.
Documentation of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder must meet the following requirements:
- Be in the form of a signed and dated report, prepared by a qualified professional such as a psychiatrist or licensed psychologist trained in the differential diagnosis of psychological/psychiatric disorders;
- Be typed on official letterhead, signed and dated by the provider;
- Include test scores that substantiate a significant impairment in academic functioning as it relates to the diagnosed condition;
- Address both the current level of functioning and present need for accommodations.
- If documentation is more than 6 months old the treating professional must provide a letter updating all pertinent information;
- Include a clear statement of the DSM-IV-TR or ICD-10 diagnosis. Not all conditions listed in the DSM-IV-TR or ICD-l0 are disabilities or impairments for the purposes of ADA;
- Include a summary of assessment procedures used to make the diagnosis;
- Describe present symptoms and fluctuation conditions/symptoms in relation to the diagnosis;
- Describe current medications, including side effects;
- Describe functional limitations supported by the diagnosis and diagnostic test scores;
Blindness and Low Vision
Students with disabilities who are attending Raritan Valley Community College must provide documentation of Blindness / Low Vision to receive academic accommodations based on that disability.
Documentation of a Blindness/Low Vision must meet all of the following requirements:
- Be in the form of a signed and dated diagnostic/treatment report prepared by a qualified professional typed on official letterhead;
- Include a clear statement of the diagnosis with supporting numerical description of vision limitations that is current within three years of submission;
- A summary of present symptoms used to meet the criteria for diagnosis of the specific condition;
- A summary of assessment procedures and evaluation instruments used to make the diagnosis, including a summary of evaluation results;
- Current medical information relating to the individual's needs and the status of vision (static or changing) including the use of corrective lenses and ongoing visual therapy (if appropriate);
- A description of the individual's functional limitations supported by the diagnostic data and how it would relate to a "significant impairment" in academic functioning;
- A statement of eligibility to receive services through the NJ Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired.
Deafness and Hard of Hearing
Students with disabilities who are attending Raritan Valley Community College must provide documentation of Deafness and Hard of Hearing to receive academic accommodations based on that disability.
Documentation of Deafness and Hard of Hearing must meet all of the following requirements:
- Be in the form of a signed and dated report diagnostic/treatment report prepared by a qualified professional, typed on official letterhead;
- Include a clear statement of deafness or hearing loss, with a current audiogram that reflects the current impact the deafness or hearing loss has on the student's academic functioning;
- A summary of assessment procedures and evaluation instruments used to make the diagnosis and a narrative summary of evaluation results, if appropriate;
- Medical information relating to the student's needs, the status of the individual's hearing (static or changing) and its impact on the demands of the student's academic program;
- A statement regarding the use of hearing aids, if appropriate;
- A statement of the functional limitations of the hearing loss;
- A statement of eligibility to receive interpreter services from the NJ Department of Labor, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR).
Learning Disabilities
Students with disabilities who are attending Raritan Valley Community College must provide documentation of Learning Disabilities to receive academic accommodations based on that disability.
Documentation of a Specific Learning Disability must meet all of the following requirements:
- Be in the form of a signed and dated report diagnostic/treatment report prepared by a qualified professional, typed on official letterhead;
- Include a psychological, educational and social assessment for newly graduated High School students;
- Testing must use age-appropriate normed tests;
- The evaluation report must minimally address: Aptitude (IQ); Achievement (Reading, Math, Written Language), and Processing (such as visual-motor and auditory);
- All sub-test scores must be provided for all tests reported;
- Testing must address the present impact of the student's disability on current academic functioning and should be current within three (3) years;
- The evaluation report must indicate how the learning disorder impacts academic performance and contributes to a "significant impairment: in academic functioning;
- The report must contain a clear statement of the diagnosis of the specific learning disorder and include the specific test scores and rationale used to determine the diagnosis;
- The report must also include a history of the learning disorder.
Physical/Medical Disabilities
Students with disabilities who are attending Raritan Valley Community College must provide documentation of Physical/Medical Disabilities to receive academic accommodations based on that disability.
Documentation of Physical/Medical Disabilities must meet all of the following requirements:
- Be in the form of a signed and dated diagnostic/treatment report prepared by a qualified professional typed on official letterhead;
- A clinical diagnosis including the date of original diagnosis of the disability and the date of last contact with the individual. The documentation should be recent and address current levels of functioning;
- A summary of assessment procedures and diagnostic test data used to make the diagnosis and determine functional limitations;
- Test scores that substantiate a significant impairment in functioning. All sub-test standard scores must be provided for all tests reported. If the impairment interferes with cognitive functioning, test scores must substantiate a significant impairment to cognitive functioning;
- A clear link must be established between the requested accommodations and the substantiated functional limitations that are pertinent to the academic/functional demands of the academic setting in which the accommodations are being requested;
- A description of the expected progression or stability of the impact of the disability over time should be included;
- Treatments, medications, assistive devices/services currently prescribed or in use.
Psychological/Psychiatric Disabilities
Students with disabilities who are attending Raritan Valley Community College must provide documentation of Psychological/Psychiatric Disabilities to receive academic accommodations based on that disability.
Documentation of a Psychological/Psychiatric Disability must meet all of the following requirements:
- Be in the form of a signed and dated report on prepared by a qualified professional such as a psychiatrist or licensed psychologist trained in the differential diagnosis of psychiatric/psychological disorders typed on official letterhead;
- Include test scores that substantiate a significant impairment in academic functioning as it relates to the diagnosed condition. If the disorder interferes with cognitive performance, specific diagnostic test data must be provided as evidence of this interference. Poor grades are not sufficient as evidence of a condition that impacts academic functioning;
- Address both the current level of functioning and present need for accommodations.
- If documentation is more than 6 months old, the treating professional must provide a letter updating all pertinent information;
- Include a clear statement of the DSM-IV-TR or ICD-lO diagnosis;
- Include a summary of assessment procedures used to make the diagnosis;
- Describe present symptoms and fluctuation conditions/symptoms in relation to the diagnosis;
- Describe current medications, including side effect;
- Describe functional limitations supported by the diagnosis and substantiated by test scores;
When accommodations are requested based on multiple diagnoses, documentation of all disabilities for which accommodations are being requested must meet documentation criteria for each disorder.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
Students with disabilities who are attending Raritan Valley Community College must provide documentation of Traumatic Brain Injuries to receive academic accommodations based on that disability.
Documentation of a Traumatic Brain Injuries must meet all of the following requirements:
- Be in the form of a signed and dated report prepared by a qualified physician on official letterhead;
- Include a clinical diagnosis including the date of original diagnosis of the traumatic brain injury and the date of last contact with the individual;
- Include a summary of assessment procedures used to make the diagnosis and determine functional limitations;
- Identify the major life activities affected by the student's traumatic brain injury that will affect the student in an academic setting;
- Include test scores that substantiate a significant impairment in academic functioning as it relates to the individual's traumatic brain injury. All subtest standard scores must be provided for all tests reported;
- Address the current level of functioning, including as assessment of the individual's cognitive abilities, including processing speed and memory.