Documentation Information

Now that you’ve reviewed the purpose of documentation, what kind of documentation should you submit to the Office of Disability Resources and Services (DRS) to establish eligibility? The CU Denver Disability Documentation Guidelines form is intended to assist CU Denver students in obtaining appropriate documentation regarding their disability; completion of this specific form is not necessarily required, as every student’s circumstances are unique, but rather, it provides a guideline for the information needed to establish eligibility. Other forms of documentation are often accepted. Students who currently hold documentation may submit documentation directly to DRS or through Accommodate. Visit our Accommodate webpage for instructions on how to upload documentation to Accommodate.

 Other forms of documentation may include but are not limited to:

•  Neuropsychoeducational evaluations
•  Reports and/or assessments from health care providers, psychologists, or the educational system
•  Audiology report
•  Vision assessment

Documentation should be completed by an evaluator qualified to make the diagnosis and with whom the student has a professional medical relationship. The evaluator must be an impartial third party, not related by blood or marriage. Documents that reflect educational assessments and/or accommodation history, such as an Individual Education Plan (IEP), Summary of Performance (SOP), or 504 Plan may also be accepted if completed by an evaluator qualified to make the diagnosis.

Typically, documentation should be printed or typed on official letterhead or on the Disability Documentation Guideline form.

Please contact DRS at 303-315-3510 for an individualized discussion about your circumstances as it relates to the necessary documentation.

If the Disability Documentation Guideline form is not completed, other forms of documentation should clearly define the:

1. Diagnosis or impression & level of severity
2. Current impacts of the disability
3. Resulting functional limitations and/or substantial limitations of one of more major life activities

Please also include the following information about the evaluator:

•  Name, title, and professional credentials of the evaluator
•  Address & phone number
•  Email address & website URL (if available)
•  Signature of the evaluator and license number

DRS may request additional documentation or other information in order to establish a clear nexus between the impact of the disability, the described barrier, and the requested accommodation.

Considerations:

•  Please do NOT submit years of medical/psychological records, case notes, therapy notes, etc. as documentation.
•  A diagnosis does not equal a disability. Federal law defines a person with a disability as someone who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially  limits one or more major life activities; therefore, DRS seeks information about the impact of the condition/disability and the severity of the impact (mild, moderate, severe).
  
•  A recommendation by an evaluator does not mean that this recommendation will be approved as an accommodation. Accommodations cannot fundamentally alter a course, program, or degree requirements. If the recommendation would pose a fundamental alteration, alternative accommodations may be offered.

In order to determine accommodations, DRS engages in the interactive process, meaning we work alongside the individual with a disability to determine appropriate and reasonable accommodations. Documentation is one piece of the interactive process. When DRS receives documentation, this information is taken into consideration along with information from the student meeting/intake interview to establish eligibility for accommodations.

Once sufficient documentation is submitted to DRS, the student will be invited to complete an intake interview as a part of the interactive process.