Information for Diagnosticians

NC State University, Disability Services Office is a unit of the Office For Equal Opportunity and Equity. The DSO facilitates and monitors the university's compliance with applicable federal and state laws in regard to non-discrimination of students on the basis of disability. The DSO does not evaluate individuals or determine functioning levels. DSO service providers review documentation to determine if an individual is eligible for accommodations and/or services. If eligible based upon the documentation, the service provider meets with the individual to determine the appropriate accommodations and/or services. If the individual is not eligible for academic accommodations and/or services, the DSO refers the individual to other campus resources.

Eligibility Process
The process of determining legal eligibility for accommodations at NC State University is a formal and rigorous one. The eligibility determination is based strictly upon what is documented by the diagnostician. The DSO does not use information reported by the individual or implied by the diagnosis to determine eligibility. However, DSO service providers use information reported by the individual to help determine appropriate accommodations and/or services.

Legal eligibility is an individualized process determined on a case-by-case basis. The eligibility decision made by the DSO is specific to NC State University. It does not apply to other colleges, universities, agencies, or programs (i.e. social security, vocational rehabilitation, etc.). Additionally eligibility decisions made by other entities do not determine eligibility at NC State University.

Documentation
Documentation standards are more stringent than usual clinical practice. Documentation must include very specific information regarding the individual's actual current functional limitations/restrictions. THe DSO does not base eligibility on what could/might occur or often occurs with those that have been given this diagnosis.

Three-Step Inquiry
Documentation must clearly answer the following questions.

Does the individual have a physical or mental impairment?
- Documentation must be current and include a mental of physical diagnosis made by a qualified diagnostician.
Does the impairment affect a major life activity?
- Legal eligibility requires that the physical or mental impairment substantially affects a major life activity.
- A major life activity is a basic function of life. Disability laws list the major life activities as: breathing, caring for self, hearing, learning, performing manual tasks, seeing, speaking, walking, working, or other (activity that is a basic function of life).
- Documentation must clearly state which major life activities are affected by the impairment.
- If an impairment only interferes with certain functions that are not major life activities, although the individual is restricted, the individual is not eligible under disability laws. (For example, the student may have test anxiety but the impairment may not affect the major life activity of learning.)
Does the impairment substantially limit the individual's life?
- Documentation must state what specific activities the individual is unable to perform or is significantly restricted (condition, manner or duration) in performing when compared with an average person in the general population.
- Documentation must state the nature and severity (mild, moderate, severe) of the impairment, the duration or expected duration of the impairment, and the permanence or expected long-term impact.
- If the impairment significantly restricts a major life activity, the documentation must state the severity level (mild, moderate, sever), frequency (how often) and duration (how long) of the limitation.
- If the major life activity of learning is substantially affected, the DSO requires data-based evidence such as psychoeducational, neuropsychological, or norm-based behavioral assessments that measure how the impairments interfere with cognitive performance. The narrative or report must include all testing results (including standard scores and subtests) and an explanation of how the test scores were used to arrive at the conclusion that learning is substantially affected (list specific components).
- Documentation must include corrective measures such as treatment, medication, visual/hearing aids, and other methods being used to correct or mitigate the physical or mental impairment. The DSO is required to take into account the effects of those measures, both negative and positive, when judging whether the student is "substantially limited" in a major life activity and thus "disabled" under the Act.

Incomplete Documentation
Missing information delays the eligibility decision and the delay may affect the individual's academic/professional outcome. Accommodations and/or services are not retroactive. Diagnosticians can submit new or additional documentation at any time for DSO review.

Thank you for your assistance
The DSO appreciates your assistance and apologizes for any inconvenience this process may cause for you. Any expense required for the documentation is the responsibility of the individual and prior approval is recommended.