Guidelines for Documenting Cognitive Disabilities

Learning and Communication Disabilities | AD/HD | Traumatic Brain Inuries | General Guidelines

Students seeking support services from Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) on the basis of a previously diagnosed cognitive disability [e.g., learning disorder (LD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (AD/HD), Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)] must submit documentation that verifies their eligibility under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The documentation must describe a disabling condition, which is defined by the presence of significant limitations in one or more major life activities. Merely submitting evidence of a diagnosis, and/or a discrepancy between ability and achievement on the basis of a single subtest score is not sufficient to warrant academic accommodations.

Similarly, nonspecific diagnoses, such as individual "learning styles," "learning differences," "academic problems," "attention problems," "mood disorders," and "test difficulty/anxiety" in and of themselves do not constitute a disability.

The guidelines below are intended to provide guidance for the assessment process, including the areas that must be assessed in order for SSD staff to make appropriate decisions. Examples of specific tests that may be used within each area are included on subsequent pages. Please do not hesitate to contact SSD at (512) 471-6259 if you have any questions.

I. Learning and Communication Disabilities:
A copy of the comprehensive psychoeducational report must be provided to The University of Texas in order for the student to be eligible for accommodations and/or modifications.

1. There must be clear and specific evidence of a learning disability including the exact DSM-IV diagnosis when appropriate.
2. Testing must be comprehensive. Objective evidence of a substantial limitation in cognition and learning must be provided. Minimally, the domains to be addressed must include, but are not limited to:
• A diagnostic interview - include relevant background information in support of the diagnosis. This may include a self-report of limitations and difficulties, a history of the presenting problem(s), a developmental history, academic history, including summaries of previous evaluation results and reports of classroom behavior and performance, a history of the family's learning difficulties and primary language spoken in the home, any pertinent medical and psychological history, a discussion of possible comorbid conditions.
• A complete psychoeducational or neuropsychological evaluation - actual test scores must be provided; standard scores are preferred. It is not acceptable to administer only one test or to base the diagnosis on only one of several subtests. Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) in and of themselves are not sufficient documentation. The assessment instruments used must be reliable, valid, and standardized for diagnosing LD in an adult population. The following areas should be assessed:
• Aptitude - intellectual assessments;
• Achievement - current levels of academic functioning in relevant areas such as reading, mathematics, oral and written language;
• Information Processing - specific areas of information processing (e.g. short and long term memory, sequential memory, auditory and visual perception/processing, processing speed, executive functioning, motor ability).
3. Testing should be current. Accommodations are based on the current nature and impact of the disability. In general, this means that testing must have been conducted within the last three years prior to your request for accommodations.
4. All reports should be on letterhead, typed, dated, and signed, and otherwise legible. The name, title, and professional credentials of the evaluator, including information about license or certification as well as area of specialization, employment, and state in which the individual practices must be clearly stated. Use of diagnostic terminology indicating a specific disability by someone whose training and experience are not in these fields is not acceptable. Evaluators should not be related to the individual being assessed. Diagnoses written on prescription pads and/or parent's notes indicating a disability are NOT considered appropriate documentation.

II. AD/HD:
While it is recognized that psychological testing alone does not justify an AD/HD diagnosis, such testing is considered an important part of establishing the impact of the disorder on learning and determining appropriate accommodations. It is also essential in determining the presence or absence of other conditions that frequently co-occur with the disorder, which may be of relevance in the classroom. Comprehensive psychoeducational or neuropsychological evaluations as described above are strongly encouraged and may be required to support specific accommodation requests. At a minimum, all documentation in support of an AD/HD diagnosis should include the following information:

1. The exact DSM-IV diagnosis and information concerning comorbidity.
2. A list of questionnaires, interviews, and observations used to identify the AD/HD. A summary should include information regarding the onset, longevity, and severity of the symptoms.
3. Information concerning the impact of the AD/HD on the educational setting, including functional limitations in major life areas.
4. Medication history and treatment recommendations.
5. Suggested recommendations, modifications and/or accommodations.
6. As with learning and communication disabilities, all testing/evaluation reports should be current (within the last three years), comprehensive, and have been conducted and signed by a qualified professional.

III. Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
Students submitting documentation of physical and/or cognitive sequelae related to a traumatic brain injury (e.g., head trauma, CVA's, tumors, other medical conditions) must submit evidence of a disabling condition with evidence of functional impairment in major life activities of relevance to the classroom. Such documentation should include:

1. Detailed background information - including information obtained in diagnostic interviews, relevant hospital and/or rehabilitation records, history of premorbid functioning (including prior academic history and developmental history), any pertinent medical and psychological history, and a discussion of dual diagnosis, if present; this includes a history of any coexisting disorders that could affect functioning.
2. A comprehensive neuropsychological evaluation - conducted after the injury, which includes, but is not limited to, the domains described above for learning and communication disorders. Evidence of current impairment, including behaviors that significantly affect functioning, and how these relate to academics should be provided. A discussion of estimated premorbid functioning should also be included.
3. Detailed information regarding residual physical or medical impairments - current treatment regimens, including current medications.
4. A specific diagnosis, as per DSM-IV.
5. Suggested recommendations, modifications and/or accommodations.
6. As above, all testing/evaluation reports should be current (within the last three years), comprehensive, and have been conducted and signed by a qualified professional.

IV. General Guidelines for all Cognitive Disabilities
It is important to recognize that accommodation needs can change over time and are not always identified during the initial diagnostic process. A prior history of accommodation, without demonstration of current need, does not in and of itself warrant provision of a like accommodation.

SSD will make the final determination as to whether appropriate and reasonable accommodations are warranted and can be provided to the individual.

In addition to documentation as described above, transfer students should provide written verification of accommodations received (and dates served) from the previously attended school(s).

All documentation submitted to SSD is considered confidential. Documentation should be sent to the following address:

The University of Texas at Austin
Office of the Dean of Students
Services for Students with Disabilities
1 University Station A5800
Austin, Texas 78712-0175

Documentation may be faxed to (512) 475-7730.