Guidelines for supporting documentation

Documentation submitted by a medical or psychological professional in support of a request for accommodations must do the following:

Provide a specific diagnosis of the disability

A professionally recognized diagnosis for the particular category of disability is required. For example, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders—Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) features diagnostic categories for learning disabilities.

Be current

Because the provision of reasonable accommodations is based on how the candidate's disability currently affects the testing activity, the candidate should provide recent documentation on a qualified professional's letterhead. The manifestations of a disability may vary over time and in different settings; therefore, in most cases an evaluation (or an update to an existing evaluation) should have been conducted within the past five years.

Describe in detail the limitations caused by the diagnosed disability

This includes describing the impact on functioning in regard to the exam process, and explaining the relationship of the diagnostic test results to the identified limitations. The current functional impact on physical, perceptual, and cognitive abilities should be fully described; for example, a candidate with macular degeneration might be described as having reduced central vision, which limits the ability to read in some specified manner.

Recommend specific accommodations and/or assistive devices

Documentation should include a detailed explanation of why these accommodations or devices are needed and how they will reduce the impact of the identified functional limitation. Include specific accommodations that have been granted in the past as well as the conditions under which they were granted. If no prior accommodations have been provided in school, in jobs, or by other testing organizations, the evaluator and/or the individual requesting accommodations should explain why no accommodations were given in the past and why accommodations are needed now.

Establish the professional credentials of the evaluator

The person providing the supporting documentation should be qualified to make the particular diagnosis. This includes professional licenses or certification and should indicate specialization in the area of diagnosis.