The Documentation Dilemma: Access and Accommodations for Postsecondary Students with Learning Disabilities

Seventy-three disability service providers representing colleges and universities across the United States completed an informal, online survey focusing on institutional guidelines for documentation of learning disabilities. Most institutions reported having documentation guidelines that were adapted from those published by the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD). However, respondents indicated that documentation is most often rejected because it is not current and does not meet other institutional guidelines. When making accommodation decisions, respondents reported using a combination of sources including recommendations in the documentation, professional judgment, and discussion with students. Such information should help secondary school personnel, disability service providers, and consumers understand the critical role that documentation plays in the process used by colleges and universities to make eligibility and accommodation decisions.