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Documentation Guidelines for Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
DISABILITY SERVICES for STUDENTS at The Cove
Cedarville University

Disability Services provides services to qualified students with AD/HD. Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder is considered a medical or clinical diagnosis. Individuals qualified to render a diagnosis for this disorder are professionals who have been trained in the assessment of AD/HD and are experienced in assessing the needs of adult learners. Recommended professionals may include developmental pediatricians, neurologists, psychiatrists, licensed clinical or educational psychologists, family physicians, or a combination of such professionals. The professional must be an impartial individual who is not a family member of the student.

Documentation must be typed or printed on official letterhead, dated and signed by the professional evaluator with information regarding the licensed professional's title and/or certification indicating the area of specialization, address and phone number. The following documentation guidelines are provided in the interest of assuring that the documentation demonstrates the disability substantially limits a major life activity, including learning, is appropriate to verify eligibility, and supports the request for accommodations, academic adjustments, and/or auxiliary aids. It is in the student's best interest to provide appropriate documentation of adult level functioning to serve as a basis for decision making about a student's need for accommodations in an academically competitive environment.

Recommended documentation should include:

1. A diagnosis which is consistent with the diagnostic criteria found in the American Psychiatric Association: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV) or successive editions; alternative diagnoses or explanations should be ruled out.
2. A summary of assessment procedures and evaluation instruments used to make the diagnosis, including evaluation results and standardized scores, if applicable.
3. A description of the type and severity of current symptoms.
4. A summary of how the disability impacts the student in the postsecondary educational environment.
5. A description of treatments, medications, and services currently prescribed or in use.
6. Information regarding existing side effects of medication on the student's ability to meet the demands of the postsecondary educational environment (e.g. physical, perceptual, behavioral, or cognitive.)
7. A description of the expected progression or stability of the disability over time.
8. Suggestions regarding accommodations, academic adjustments, and/or auxiliary aids and services that would be appropriate for the student based on the information gathered, testing results, and observations of performance may be included.
9. Written verification from previous college, if applicable. Transfer students are encouraged to provide written verification from the previously attended school, which includes the dates served and the accommodations used.

Documentation accepted at Cedarville University may not be accepted by other institutions, agencies and/or programs (e.g. testing agencies, licensure exams, certification programs). Please check with the specific institutions and/or programs to determine their documentation requirements.

NOTE: Disability Services maintains disability files and diagnostic testing information for seven years after the student graduates, transfers, or leaves the university. After that time, the confidential files are destroyed. If a student does not attend Cedarville University but has submitted documentation, the files will be destroyed after two years. Consequently, students should keep a copy of their diagnostic information.

Marilyn Meyer
Coordinator of Disability Services
217 Center for Biblical and Theological Studies
Cedarville University
251 N. Main Street
Cedarville, OH 45314
Phone: 937-766-3843
Fax: 937-766-7419 (Effective July 21, 2008)