OAR Documentation Guidelines

To qualify for accommodations as a student with a disability at WCU, an enrolled student (whether full-time, part-time, residential, or distance) must provide documentation of that disability to the OAR. The documentation should contain--at minimum--information describing the student's current level of functioning. 

Note: IEPs and 504 plans from K-12 can provide valuable information about a student's history of accommodations, but alone are not usually enough documentation at the college/university level. IEPs and 504 plans are limited to K-12 environments and do not transfer to college.

The purpose of documentation is to determine that a student has a disability and to understand the impact of that disability (as well as potential barriers) in the university environment. Accommodations are not prescriptions or treatment plans. Recommendations made by providers are important because they give us a better understanding of the student's disability and its impact, but they are not binding to WCU. The OAR--not outside healthcare providers--makes final decisions about whether an accommodation is reasonable and appropriate for student access.

Documentation should:

  • Be current and within five years of enrollment.
  • Give the full name and birthdate of the student.
  • Contain contact information and credentials of the professional providing the documentation. This individual should be a medical or mental health care professional licensed or certified in the area for which the diagnosis is made and should not be a person related to the student. 
  • Be signed and dated by the appropriately licensed professional. 
  • Specify a diagnostic statement that identifies the disability with information that describes: 
    • how the diagnosis was made (the diagnostic methodology used, including all data from appropriate instruments of evaluation)
    • any differential or exlusionary diagnosis
    • the expected progression or stability of the disability or medical condition.
    • any co-occurring conditions or complicating factors.
  • Describe current functional limitations (preferably in an academic setting).e OAR may provide the supplemental "Documentation of Disability" form.

Helpful Tips about Documentation:

  • Please provide the best, most recent documentation. Accommodations are based on the current impact of the disability.
  • Evaluations conducted in childhood are typically not adequate for college. Brains and bodies go through big changes as they mature into adulthood and therefore the effects of disabling conditions on those brains and bodies will change in different ways.
  • IEPs or 504 plans from K-12--even if recent--are typically not enough to provide documentation of disability. IEPs and 504 plans are limited to K-12 environments and do not transfer to college.
  • A doctor's prescription pad note, a screen shot of an office visit note, or a photo of a prescription bottle are not acceptable as documentation of disability.
  • Self-assessments or other online screening tools are not appropriate documentation of disability.
  • WCU does not collect information regarding a student's disability through the admissions process.
  • Documentation and information collected by OAR during the interactive process is kept confidential in secure digital files in accordance with FERPA and other relevant privacy laws.
  • It is the student's responsibility to get and, if needed, pay for testing, evaluations, and/or a diagnosis. 
  • Required documentation for academic accommodations are often not the same as required documentation for housing accommodations.  

Contact Us

Office of Accessibility Resources
Suite 137 Killian Annex
Cullowhee, NC 28723
828.227.3886 (phone)
828.227.7320 (fax)
accessibility@wcu.edu
Office Hours: Monday-Friday 8AM - 5PM