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- ADD/ADHD Documentation Requirements
ADD/ADHD Documentation Requirements
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
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.”
Note: Our office will use the official classification from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition (DSM-IV), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) to discuss this condition, although we understand that the more broad nomenclature of Attention Deficit Disorder is frequently used.
ADD/ADHD Documentation Requirements
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 must be no more than 3 years old. Since Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is often first demonstrated in childhood, previous academic information, as well as a history of the student’s previous diagnosis should be included in the medical documentation submitted. If the student was not diagnosed until adulthood, specific mention of this must be made in the current diagnosis.
Diagnostician Qualifications
Professionals qualified to diagnose ADHD must have training in differential diagnosis and experience with both adolescents and adults with ADHD. While the list below is not exhaustive, the following professionals are considered qualified:
- Clinical psychologists
- Neuropsychologists
- Psychiatrists
We request that the evaluator completing this assessment be unrelated to the student.
Evidence of Impairment
As mentioned previously, history of diagnosis and previous academic information must be included by the current evaluator. Furthermore, the evaluator should include information regarding on-going inattentive or hyperactive behavior that has had a significant impact on the student’s functioning.
Diagnostic Report and Summary
The diagnostic report and summary must include, but is not limited to, the following information:
- Neurological and/or psychoeducational assessment.
- A specific diagnosis based upon the criteria set forth in the DSM-IV.
- Standard scores or percentiles of any testing given.
- 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.
- Suggestions (from the evaluator) for specific accommodations to be administered on behalf of the student in a postsecondary academic setting that are supported by the student’s testing results and subsequent diagnosis.
This summary must:
- Be written on evaluator letterhead.
- 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.