Disability Services
Davis & Elkins College is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities.
Students requesting disability-related accommodations must register with D&E Disability Services and provide up-to-date, appropriate, and objective documentation that clearly substantiates a significant functional impairment to receive full support through D&E Disability Services. A significant functional impairment means that a student’s ability to perform a major life activity is inhibited substantially. When documentation does not fully meet the standards below, limited accommodations might be made based on the documentation provided. Documentation allowing for accommodations at D&E may not meet those of other postsecondary institutions or for accommodations on standardized exams (Praxis, GRE, MAT, LSAT, etc.).
Diagnostic letters/reports submitted as documentation must:
- Be typed, signed, and dated by a qualified, licensed professional who is credentialed in the area related to the diagnosed condition for which the accommodation is being requested.
- Provide a diagnosis, including symptoms related to the student’s disability or medical condition. This should include functional limitations that are specific to the student and their individual needs. Documentation should include a history of the diagnosis and treatments, including duration, stability, frequency of symptoms, functional limitations, and expected prognosis.
- Provide recent objective findings, test scores, and/or clinical observations used to determine the student’s diagnosis, and functional limitations, as well as, the current need for accommodations as they relate to the diagnosed condition.
- Include any treatments, medications, and/or assistive devices/services currently prescribed or in use. Please include a description of the student’s specific experienced side effects from such treatments.
- Specify if the disability causes unexpected and unavoidable interruptions to the student’s daily schedule. If so, documentation of the student’s specific and unique needs must provide a connection between the specific functional limitation and requested accommodation.
- Provide recommendations directly linked to the impact or functional limitations associated with the disability and include a clear rationale based on level of impairment.
The following information/documentation does not fully meet the criteria for accommodations but can be used to provide limited academic/living accommodations:
- A brief note from a physician or health professional that simply requests an accommodation or provides a diagnosis without offering supporting documentation. This includes information or notes written on a prescription pad, as well as aftercare instructions issued to the patient.
- Past IEP or 504 Plans from the K-12 environment do not fully meet the above documentation criteria and can be used as a supplement to other documentation or for limited support from D&E Dis ability Services.
- Evaluation reports of a learning difficulty that are not comprehensive or that identify “problems or challenges” but do not specifically state a diagnosis do not fully meet the above documentation criteria.
Questions and submission of documentation can be directed to:
Derek L. Fincham, MS, CRC
Director – The Naylor Learning Center
211 Charles Albert Hall
100 Campus Drive, Elkins, WV 26241
Phone: 304-637-1435
Email: finchamd@dewv.edu
Alternative formats of this document available upon request
