Visual Impairment Documentation Guidelines
All students must provide proof of the disability and the need for accommodations before services can be provided. This will usually be in the form of a medical report or medical statement and the documentation must be signed by a qualified licensed relevantly trained medical physician, optometrist or ophthalmologist.
The documentation must provide current impact of the disability. The OSD requires medical statement to be current – not more than two year's old. Evaluation reports with the initial diagnosis which are older than two year may be provided to supplement the current documentation in providing important background information.
Documentation of a disability is not provided by:
- Individualized Education Plans (IEPs)
- 504 Plans
- Transition Plans
These documents‚ however‚ are useful for documenting a history of accommodation and effective interventions for an individual with a disability.
Providing this information and having a history of the disability in elementary or secondary school does not automatically guarantee that one will receive the requested services. The information is evaluated for validity by qualified University personnel with current expertise in evaluating visual impairments to determine whether criteria are met and to establish eligibility for services as a student with disabilities‚ according to University guidelines and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
Current documentation should validate the need for services based on the individual’s current level of functioning in the educational setting. A current psychological report or medical statement must:
- clearly state the diagnosis;
- describe the functional limitations and educational impact resulting from the disability;
- include recommendations for accommodations;
- be typed on official stationary or letterhead;
- be signed by the credentialed medical doctor, ophthalmologist or optometrist
- be current (within two year's).