Request for Accommodations

A student who wishes to request an accommodation(s) for any covered disability (including a learning disability) must review the request guidelines provided in this document. The student then must personally complete the Accommodation Request Form and submit it to the Office of the Academic Dean for review and approval.

Please note that the student must provide appropriate documentation as described in the guidelines that is no more than 3 years old and additionally, that IEP’s are not acceptable documentation for colleges and universities.

If you would like to request an accommodation, please complete the Request for Accommodations form (found on the Request for Accommodations tab of the Academics webpage on the MMI website) and send it or fax it to the office of the Academic Dean (address and fax number can be found on the form).

Qualifications of the Evaluator

The name, title, and license/certification credentials of the evaluator, including information about license or certification (i.e., licensed psychologist) as well as the area of specialization, employment, and state in which the individual practices must be clearly stated in the report. The following professionals are generally considered qualified to diagnose learning disabilities: clinical psychologists, school psychologists, neuropsychologists, learning disability specialist, diagnostician, and psychiatrists who have expertise in evaluating the impact of learning disabilities on an individual’s educational performance. All reports should be on official letterhead, dated, and signed.

Current/Comprehensive Documentation

An evaluation should be no more than three years old. Documentation should substantiate the need for services based on the student’s current level of functioning. A school plan such as an IEP or a 504 Accommodation Plan is insufficient documentation, but may be included as part of a more comprehensive report.

Identification of Learning Disabilities

Evaluation should include a clinical interview, assessment of aptitude AND academic achievement, and a diagnosis of LD.

Clinical Interview- Relevant information regarding the student’s academic history and learning abilities should be included. Also, medical, developmental, and social histories should be investigated and reported, along with any family history of educational, medical, or psychological difficulties. Medical, social, and psychological problems should be ruled out as causes of learning disabilities.

Assessment of Aptitude-A complete intellectual assessment, with standard scores reported, is required. The following tests are recommended for assessment of aptitude; other appropriate measures may be used at the examiner’s discretion.

• Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (3rd Edition)
• Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale (4th Edition)
• Woodcock-Johnson Cognitive Processing Battery to substantiate any processing problems

The Slosson Intelligence Test-Revised and the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test are screening devices, thus are not appropriate for the diagnosis of learning disabilities.

Assessment of Academic Achievement- Norm-referenced academic achievement tests, with subtests and standard scores reported, are essential. The assessment should include evaluation of reading, math, and written language. Also, it may be useful to include other evaluations, such as informal inventories or classroom observations. The following standardized tests are recommended for assessment of academic achievement; other appropriate measures may be used at the examiner’s discretion.

• Woodstock-Johnson Psychoeducational Battery-Revised
• Tests of Achievement (to substantiate any processing problem)
• Wechsler Individual Achievement Test (if student falls within age norms)
• Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement (if student falls within age norms)
• KeyMath Diagnostic Arithmetic Test-Revised if student falls within age norms)
• Test of Written Language-3 (if student falls within age norms)
• Grey Oral Reading test 3 (if student fall within age normal)

The Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT3) is a screening device, thus is not appropriate for the diagnosis of learning disabilities.

Diagnosis of Learning Disabilities- The evaluator should use direct language in the diagnosis of a learning disability based on DSM-IV criteria: a SPECIFIC statement that a learning disability exists is required for services and accommodations. Also the evaluator must describe the substantial limitation(s) to academic learning that are presented by the learning disability. If the data indicates that a learning disability is not present the evaluator should state that finding in the report. The report must outline alternative explanations and diagnosis.

Recommendations for Accommodations

The report should include specific recommendations for academic accommodations and the rationale for such accommodations. If accommodations are not identified specifically in the diagnostic report, Disability Services must request this information before services can be provided. A history of accommodations does not in itself warrant the provision of similar accommodations at Marion Military Institute. The final determination of appropriate and reasonable accommodation rests with the Dean of Academics.

The diagnostic report must include specific recommendations for accommodations and a detailed explanation of why each accommodation is recommended.

Disability Verification of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorders (ADHD)

Qualifications of the Evaluator

The name, title, and license/certification credentials of the evaluator should be stated in the report. The following professionals are considered qualified to evaluate ADD/ADHD: physician, psychiatrists, clinical psychiatrists, neurologist, or neuropsychologist who have expertise in evaluating the impact of ADD/ADHD on an individual’s educational performance. A diagnosis of ADD/ADHD by someone whose training is not in these fields is not acceptable. All reports should be on official letterhead, dated, and signed.

Current Documentation

Evaluation should be no more than 3 years old and must provide a clear statement of the presenting problem. Changes may have occurred in the student’s performance since a previous diagnosis, or new medication may have been prescribed or discontinued since the initial diagnosis was made. Documentation should substantiate the need for services based on the student’s current functioning and must define the level of functioning and any limitations supported by evaluation data.

Identification of ADHD

A comprehensive evaluation should include a clinical interview, assessment of attention difficulties, and diagnosis of ADD or ADHD using DSM-IV criteria. A school plan such as an IEP or a 504 Accommodation Plan is insufficient documentation, but may be included as part of a more comprehensive report.

Clinical Interview-Because ADHD is, by definition, first exhibited in childhood and manifests itself in more than one setting, relevant historical information is essential. The student’s academic history should be included. Medical, developmental, and social histories should be investigated and reported, along with any family history of educational, medical, or psychological difficulties. A description of the individual’s presenting attention symptoms should be provided as well as any history of such symptoms. A family history of ADHD and the student’s medical history also are important.

High school IEP, 504 Plans, and/or a letter from a physician or other professional will not be sufficient to document ADD or ADHD. Medication cannot be used to imply diagnosis.
Assessment of Attention Difficulties

The evaluator should include any assessment data that supports or refutes a diagnosis of ADHD. Assessments such as checklists and rating scales are very important, but checklists, surveys, or subtest scores should not be used as the SOLE criterion for a diagnosis of ADHD.

The evaluator should investigate the possibility of dual diagnosis and/or co-existing medical and/or psychological disorders that result in behaviors that mimic ADHD. Medical, social, and psychiatric problems should be ruled out as causes of ADHD.

Diagnosis of ADD/ADHD Using DSM-IV Criteria-Individuals who exhibit general problems with organization, test anxiety, memory, and concentration do not fit the diagnostic criteria for ADHD. Likewise, a positive response to medication by itself does not confirm a diagnosis of ADHA. The diagnostician should use direct language in diagnosis of ADHD, avoiding the use of terms such as “suggests”, “is indicative of”, or “attention problems”. A SPECIFIC statement that the student is diagnosed with ADD or ADHD and the accompanying DSM-IV criteria are required for services and accommodations. Also, the evaluator must describe the substantial limitation(s) to academic learning
presented by the attention disorder. If the data indicate that ADHD is not present, the evaluator should state that finding in the report. Additionally, any alternative explanations or diagnosis must be ruled out.

Diagnosis must be clearly supported (with data provided) using relevant test data with standard scores to support conclusions, including at least:

• WAIS-R
• Woodcock-Johnson Psychoeducational Battery-Revised, including Written Language
• Behavioral Assessment Instruments for ADD/ADHD, normed on adults

Recommendations for Accommodations

The diagnostic report should include specific recommendations for academic accommodations; and the rationale for such recommendations. If accommodations are not identified specifically in the diagnostic report, Marion Military Institute must request this information before services can be provided. A history of accommodations in itself does not warrant the provision of similar accommodations at Marion Military Institute. The final determination of appropriate and reasonable accommodation rests with the Academic Dean.

A summary of diagnostic findings is a component of the report. The summary might include an indication of how patterns of inattentiveness and/or hyperactivity validate the presence of ADHD, and the elimination of alternative explanations for academic problems (such as poor study habits, lack of motivation, psychological or medical problems).