Students with disabilities who request disability support services at Adams State University are required to submit documentation to verify eligibility under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Complete and appropriate documentation is necessary to determine eligibility for accommodations, auxiliary aids, and/or services. Disability documentation should reflect current levels of skills, abilities, and needs for support services. For most students, documentation should be no older than three years. For students aged 21 and older where sufficient evidence is provided by the student indicating that the disability has been evaluated regularly without significant changes in skills and needs across time, it may be appropriate to extend the length of time the documentation will be considered valid. Disabilities that are sporadic or degenerative in nature may require more frequent evaluation as needed for accommodation change. Generally, an Individualized Educational Plan (IEP) or a 504 Plan will be accepted only if it is 1) no more than three years old; 2) contains a complete diagnosis; and a detailed description of how the diagnosis was arrived at. In addition, all documentation must be on official letterhead with names, titles, professional credentials, addresses, and phone/fax numbers of the evaluator(s), as well as the official date(s) of testing.

The Office of Accessibility Services- Institutional Rights Services will collaborate with each student to ensure that the documentation is complete and to determine individualized and appropriate accommodations, auxiliary aids, and/or services. The cost of obtaining documentation will be borne by the student. The Disability Services Coordinator will review the appropriateness of submitted documentation on a case-by-case basis. Additional documentation may be requested to determine eligibility for services. Pending receipt of documentation, the Office of Disability Services reserves the right to deny accommodations, auxiliary aids, and/or services. Note: Submission of documentation is not the same as the request for services. The student must initiate requests for accommodations, auxiliary aids, and/or services by contacting the Office of Accessibility Services- Institutional Rights Services.

Information regarding a student’s documentation is confidential. All documentation and files related to a student’s disability are housed in the Office of Accessibility Services- Institutional Rights Services and are not part of the student’s college record. Students should keep a copy of their documentation. The Office of Accessibility Services- Institutional Rights Services holds this information for five years after the student leaves the college, and is then destroyed.

Documentation should be submitted in person or by mail, email, or fax.