Getting Started
Documentation Guidelines and Requirements
Who is Eligible for Services
To be eligible for DSS support services, a student must have a disability as it is defined by federal legislation (Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act and the reauthorized 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act): a disability is any physical or mental condition that causes substantial limitation to the ability to perform one or more major life activities. Major life activities include, but are not limited to, performing manual tasks, walking, standing, lifting, bending, breathing, seeing, hearing, learning, reading, concentrating, thinking, communicating, and the operation of a major bodily function.
Request for Disability Support Services
Students requesting disability-related assistance must complete a Request for Disability Support Services form. This form must accompany submitted documentation of the student’s disability.
General Guidelines Applicable to all Disabilities
Students requesting disability-related assistance must provide documentation establishing the presence of a substantially limiting condition(s) and describing its current impact. Information on how the disabling condition(s) currently impacts the individual is necessary both for establishing eligibility for services and identifying possible accommodations. Diagnosis of a condition, in and of itself, does not automatically confer disability status. The following criteria apply to documentation in general. For more detailed information, please refer to the documentation guidelines below for specific disabilities.
Guidelines for Appropriate Documentation of Specific Disabling Conditions (includes general guidelines applicable to all disabilities)
