Guidelines

FOR requesting ACADEMIC ACCOMMODATIONS for Learning Disabilities

Individualized services are provided for students with specific learning disabilities. Each student requesting academic accommodations because of a learning disability must provide sufficient documentation of a specific diagnosis from a qualified professional in the field. Existing documents may be submitted, but further evaluation may be required.

DOCUMENTATION

Students will be required to provide evidence of evaluations that substantiate a specific learning disability. Evaluations will be used only to assist the University in determining accommodations. Reports should contain intellectual and achievement scores, strengths and weaknesses related to classroom performance, a report summary, and recommendations.

Assessments should include a comprehensive pyschoeducational evaluation consistent with the following criteria:

• documentation should be current (within the last three years).
• cognitive functioning, achievement, and processing skills should be measured via individually administered tests (e.g., WAIS-III, WMS-III, WIAT-II, Woodcock-Johnson).

Documentation in the following areas is required: memory; fine motor (speed, sequence); selective attention perception.

• oral language assessment (in addition to cognitive measures)
• social-emotional assessment that does not suggest primary emotional basis for results
• significant specific achievement deficits relative to potential must be documented
• assessment results must be provided in the following areas:
  • a.    written language: spelling, written expression
  • b.    reading: decoding, comprehension
  • c.    mathematics: applied (word problems), calculations
• utilization of assessment instruments with appropriate age norms
• measures must represent by standard scores or percentile ranks based on published norms

TESTING for Learning Disorders

Accepted or enrolled students who do not have appropriate documentation can have an evaluation and assessment done by the Disability Support Services Learning Disabilities Specialist.

ACADEMIC ADJUSTMENTS

Recommendations, along with supporting documentation, will be incorporated in the Support Services Request Form to be developed by the student and the Disability Support Services Director or the Learning Disabilities Specialist.  Records will remain on file in the DSS office.

Recommendations may contain skills building for mastery of tasks and/or compensatory measures that will assist the student in achieving academic success including, but not limited to:

• academic development courses
• study skills course
• career planning and development course

Disability Support Services

The following procedures have been established to meet the needs of students with disabilities at SIUE:

1. To request accommodations, a student with a disability must meet with the Director or the Learning Disabilities Specialist of the Disability Support Services office.

2. The Director or the Learning Disabilities Specialist meets with the student to assess accommodations.

3.  ID Cards are provided to students with documented disabilities.  It is the responsibility of the student to show this card to his or her professor in order to obtain accommodations.