Documentation of Disability

Frequently Asked Questions

Click the question to get the answer.

What is disability documentation?

Disability documentation is specific and detailed information about a student’s disability. Documentation must specify the nature and extent of the disability, and clearly indicate and support the need for academic accommodations.  A licensed clinical professional with expertise and training in diagnosing and/or treating the disability must prepare the disability documentation.

Who is responsible for obtaining disability documentation?

Students who request accommodations from Portland Community College’s (PCC) Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) must provide documentation of their disability and are responsible for the cost of obtaining it. 

When must a student provide disability documentation?

Students must provide documentation to OSD which meets the standards listed in this brochure before they may receive accommodations.

How current must documentation be?

To establish the need for accommodations, documentation must indicate how the disability currently impacts the student. In general, documentation must be no older than three years. If the disability condition fluctuates, PCC may request updated documentation.

Where is disability documentation kept?

Documentation is kept in a separate, secure, and confidential file housed in OSD. It does not become part of the student’s academic transcript.

Why does PCC need disability documentation?

PCC requires documentation of students’ disabilities in order to determine appropriate and reasonable academic accommodations.

Documentation Required For Specific Disability Areas

Click on the disability to get a list of the documentation required.

Acquired Brain Injury
  • Neuropsychological evaluation including diagnosis, interview, history, evidence of current impairment, and functional limitations.
Attention Deficit (Hyperactivity) Disorder
  • Statement from a licensed, clinical professional indicating the specific psychological diagnosis per the DSM-IV R, including evidence of current impairment, symptoms, level of severity, functional limitations, evaluation criteria, and any relevant reports.
  • List of prescribed medications which may impact student in the academic environment.
Blind/Low Vision
  • An ocular assessment or evaluation from an ophthalmologist.
  • A low-vision evaluation of residual visual function, when appropriate.
Deaf/Hard of Hearing
  • Audiological evaluation and/or audiogram .
  • Assessment of the current functional limitations.
Orthopedic, Mobility, and Other Health
  • Physician’s statement that includes diagnosis, nature of impairment, level of severity, and functional limitations relevant to an academic environment. 
  • List of prescribed medications which may impact student in the academic environment.
Psychological Disorder
  • Statement from a licensed, clinical professional indicating the specific psycho-logical diagnosis per the DSM-IV R, including evidence of current impairment, functional limitations, symptoms, level of severity, evaluation criteria, and any relevant reports.
  • List of prescribed medications which may impact student in the academic environment.
Speech/Language
  • Evaluative report from a licensed speech pathologist stating the diagnosis, nature of disability, severity, and functional limitations.

Learning Disabilities

Learning disability documentation must include an assessment that meets the following criteria:

A full report including but not limited to:

  • Reason for Testing
  • Background History
  • Strengths and Weaknesses
  • All Scores as Standard Scores—based on age
  • All Scale scores for WAIS or WISC
  • Report must be signed by the evaluator and written on evaluator’s letterhead
  • There must be a Specific Diagnosis of a Learning Disability
  • An indication that the Evaluator has the knowledge of and training in the use of testing instruments.

Operational Guidelines

  • Documentation of a complete (two-part) evaluation administered within the last three years OR administered after the age of 18.
  • Full Scale score or broad cognitive score must fall in the average range or higher
  • A significant discrepancy (–1.5 Standard Deviations or greater based on age norms) is measured between full scale score and standard score in one or more areas of achievement on above mentioned tests. If a significant discrepancy does not exist the diagnostician will justify the need for accommodations by presenting logical information to support a learning disability.
  • A wide disparity or scatter of scores, based on age norms, either inter-test or intra-test on WAIS-R, WAIS III or WJPEB-R or WJPEB-III---1.5 SD or greater between full scale score and discrepant area.
  • Environmental deprivation, educational deprivation as well as hearing and vision deficits will be ruled out as causal factors when achievement is significantly low.

Evaluation must use one of the Intellectual Assessments listed below and one of the Achievement Test Batteries listed below:

Accepted Intellectual/Cognitive Assessment

  • Woodcock—Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery-Revised, III or more current edition. Tests of Cognitive Ability--Standard and Supplemental Batteries. (WJPEB-R or WJPEB III—COGNITIVE)
  •  Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale—Revised or III (WAIS R or WAIS III)
  • Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale—4th edition or later
  • Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children—Revised or III- Prior to the age of 16

Accepted Achievement Assessment

  • Woodcock—Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery-Revised, III or more current edition.  Tests of Achievement—Tests needed to obtain Broad Scores.(WJEB-R or WJPEBIII-ACHIEVEMENT)
  • Wechsler Individual Achievement Tests (WIAT)
  • Stanford Test of Academic Skills (STAS)
  • Scholastic Abilities Test for Adults (SATA)

Abstracted from “Oregon Association on Higher Education and Disability Working Guidelines Recommended Minimum Standards for Evaluations of Learning Disabilities.”