Documentation

The Purpose of Documentation

Under the ADA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, students with disabilities are sheltered from discrimination and afforded acommodations necessary to realize full and equal access to Skidmore's campus and academic programs. Based on these stipulations, the purpose of Skidmore's documentation requirements is to collect the evidence necessary to determine a student's entitlement to the protections and provisions of the ADA and Section 504.

Principles of Review

As endorsed by the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD), the Coordinator of Student Access Services applies the following principles to the process of reviewing documentation, determining eligibility, and identifying potential accommodation(s).

1. All documentation will be reviewed on an individual case-by-case basis.
2. Determination of a disability does not require the use of any specific language.
3. Presented documentation may be augmented through an interview.
4. Determination of accommodation will be an interactive process.
5. Documentation of a specific disability does not translate directly into specific accommodations.
6. Disability documentation will be treated in a confidential manner and shared only on a need-to-know basis.
7. Information on an individual's disability is only one component of providing access.