Students should contact Accessibility Resources for guidance on the documentation needed for their individual situations. In addition to information the student provides on the Request for Accommodations and Services form and in conversation with our staff, relevant documentation from external sources can help to substantiate the disability and establish the student's eligibility for accommodations.

Documentation should include a description of the disability, including the diagnosis, history, significance, and expected duration when applicable. Documentation should also include the current impact of the disability in an educational setting, past use and effectiveness of accommodations, and recommendations for accommodations that are logically related to the impact of the disability. Please keep in mind, however, that Colorado College will make the final determination of reasonable accommodations.

The age of acceptable documentation is dependent upon the disability. While older documentation for conditions that are permanent or do not vary may be appropriate, changing conditions and/or changes in how the condition impacts the individual over time may warrant more current documentation.

Types of documentation that may be helpful include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Educational, psychological, or medical records
• Reports and assessments created by healthcare providers, psychologists, or the educational system (e.g., a psychoeducational evaluation)
• Documents that reflect education and accommodation history, such as an Individual Education Program (IEP), Summary of Performance (SOP), and teacher observations

Please keep the following in mind:

• Disability is defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act as an impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. Major life activities include, but are not limited to, seeing, hearing, walking, standing, lifting, speaking, learning, reading, concentrating, thinking, communicating, and working.
• The Request for Accommodations and Services form and documentation of disability should be submitted to Accessibility Resources early enough to allow staff sufficient time to review the request and implement reasonable accommodations and services.
  
• Accessibility Resources may ask the student to provide additional information if the submitted documentation is incomplete or does not support the student's request for accommodations.
• Generally, documentation must come from a qualified practitioner who is not a family member of the student.
• Students who do not have documentation are encouraged to meet with our staff to explore options for support.
• Students should keep a copy of the documentation for their personal records. Accessibility Resources shreds hard copies of documentation after scanning for our electronic files. Additionally, Accessibility destroys/deletes documentation and other disability-related information seven years after a student leaves the college.
• Documentation accepted by Colorado College might not be accepted by other institutions, agencies, and/or programs (e.g., testing agencies, licensure exams, and certification programs). Please check with the specific organizations and/or programs to determine their documentation requirements.

For additional information, please contact Accessibility Resources at (719) 227-8285 or accessibilityresources@coloradocollege.edu.