Physical disabilities

Students with physical disabilities who are seeking accommodations from SUNY Oswego on the basis of a diagnosed disability are to submit documentation to verify eligibility under Section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

The following guidelines are provided in the interest of assuring that evaluation reports are appropriate to document eligibility for services.

1. A qualified professional must conduct the evaluation. Professionals conducting assessments and rendering diagnoses should have appropriate training in diagnosing physical impairments. The name, title, and professional credentials of the evaluator, including information about license or certification should be clearly stated in the documentation.  All reports should be on letterhead, typed, dated, signed, and otherwise legible.

2. Documentation must be current. Documentation that is outdated or inadequate in scope or content; does not address the student’s current level of functioning; or does not address changes in the student’s performance since the previous assessment was conducted may not support requested accommodations.  When appropriate, additional supportive documentation will be requested.  Since assessment constitutes the basis for determining reasonable accommodations, it is in the student’s best interest to provide recent and appropriate documentation to serve as the basis for decision-making about a student’s need for accommodations in a college environment.

3. Documentation must be comprehensive. Documentation should contain:

• A statement, on letterhead, by a qualified health professional
• A summary of assessment procedures, and an evaluation of results;
• The statement should include a specific diagnosis, explanation of specific functional limitations, and any recommendations for support. 
• When warranted, medical information relating to the student should also include the impact of medication on the student’s ability to meet the demands in the post-secondary environment. 

**These guidelines are not meant to be used exclusively or as a replacement for direct communication with the Office of Accessibility Resource Services regarding the individual nature of a disability. While submitted documentation meeting the above guidelines may be acceptable to SUNY Oswego, it is important to be aware that they may/may not meet the documentation guidelines required in other academic or testing organizations (e.g. special certifications, board examinations, standardized test for admission to graduate schools, law schools, etc.).

All documentation is confidential and should be sent to: 

Dr. Starr L. Wheeler, Coordinator
Disability Support Services
SUNY Oswego
155 Marano Campus Center
Oswego, NY 13126