Disability Resource Center Documentation Guidelines The Disability Resource Center (DRC) provides equal access to education, programs, and activities for students of Portland State University who have disabilities. Documentation is considered an integral part of DRC's process in determining the existence of a disability and the need for reasonable accommodations. DRC reviews documentation in accordance with the guidelines specified in the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA). The ADAAA defines a disability as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. We are happy to meet with you and discuss your requests for accommodations. However, in order to expedite the process of receiving reasonable accommodations, please submit any supporting documentation in advance of the appointment. The general guidelines listed below are developed to assist you in working with your Qualified Licensed Professional* and are intended to provide you with information about what we are looking for when we review your documentation. All documentation will be reviewed by a DRC Professional to determine eligibility of reasonable accommodations at Portland State University. 1. Current functional impact of the impairment(s) or condition(s) – Please describe any impact on the student’s physical (mobility, dexterity, endurance, etc.), perceptual, cognitive (attention, distractibility, communication, etc.), and behavioral abilities as a clinical narrative and/or through the provision of specific results from the diagnostic procedures/assessment. 2. Accommodations/auxiliary aids, services, medications, treatments currently in use or prescribed – Please provide a list any mitigating measures the student is using or has been prescribed along with their effectiveness and any significant side effects that may impact physical, perceptual, behavioral or cognitive performance. If you feel that any additional accommodations/auxiliary aids are warranted, please list them along with a clear rationale and related functional limitations. Any accommodations/auxiliary aids will be taken into consideration, but not automatically implemented. 3. The expected progression or stability of impairment(s) or condition(s) over time – We realize that some conditions are variable and can fluctuate in severity over a period of time. Please provide the expected duration of the student’s condition and any potential or known triggers that may exacerbate the condition. 4. Diagnostic statement identifying the impairment(s) or condition(s) -­‐ When appropriate, include International Classification of Diseases (ICD) or Diagnostic Statistical Manual (DSM) codes and the date of the student’s most recent evaluation. In accordance with these guidelines, we've created the Disability Certification Form which can be completed by your Qualified Licensed Professional. The Disability Certification Form will serve as documentation which will be reviewed in light of your accommodation requests. For additional clarification regarding appropriate documentation, please visit the following link: www.drc.pdx.edu/Forms/verificationform.doc or contact the Disability Resource Center (DRC) at 503-­‐725-­‐4150 or via email at drc@pdx.edu. Students should be aware that other universities may have different documentation guidelines and testing agencies (which administer standardized tests such as the GRE and LSAT) often require more extensive documentation. *Qualified Licensed Professionals must have expertise in the differential diagnosis of the documented impairment(s) or condition(s) and follow established practices in the field.