Disability Documentation Requirements

What to submit and why it matters for your accommodations

Documentation verifies your disability and shows how it limits major life activities, as defined by the ADA and Section 504.

Key Definitions

• Functional Limitation: A significant difficulty performing a major life activity in the usual way or within the expected time.
• Major Life Activities: Examples include walking, seeing, hearing, breathing, learning, concentrating, and thinking.

Why Functional Limitations Matter

While a diagnosis identifies a condition, functional limitations describe how that condition actually impacts your daily or academic activities. Accommodations are based on these specific impacts, not just the diagnosis itself.

For example:

• A diagnosis of ADHD alone does not determine accommodations.
• Documentation must explain how ADHD affects attention, organization, or processing speed in a learning environment.

Providing this information helps ensure your accommodations truly match your needs.

Required Documentation for Students with Diagnosed Conditions

• Clear diagnosis, including diagnostic codes
• Test results supporting the diagnosis (based on adult norms), completed within the past three (3) years
• Professional’s name, title, license, and credentials
• Documentation on official letterhead, in English, dated and signed
• Statement describing how the disability impacts major life activities (dated within the past six (6) months)
• Information about current treatment and/or medications (if relevant)
• Description of how the disability affects academic participation

High School Graduates and Guest Students

• High school psychological evaluations may be used if they were completed within the past couple years and based on testing completed at age 16 or older.
• Reports can usually be requested from your school district office.
• Evaluations from licensed private professionals are also accepted if they meet the same documentation guidelines above.

Documentation Not Accepted

• Doctor’s notes that only suggest accommodations
• Hospital discharge papers
• Disability letters from other colleges or universities
• IEPs without a psychological evaluation report
• 504 Plans without medical documentation
• Prescription slips or medication lists
• Self-assessments
• ACT/SAT accommodation approvals

Note: Oakland Community College may request additional documentation if needed to clarify eligibility or determine appropriate accommodations.