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Tiffany Bailey, Accessibility Resources & Service, NC AHEAD 10/4-10/5

A Team Approach to Documentation Review

Accessibility Resources & Service, UNC Chapel Hill

Tiffany Bailey, Accessibility Resources & Service, NC AHEAD 10/4-10/5

Tiffany Bailey, Accessibility Resources & Service, NC AHEAD 10/4-10/5

HistoryDisability Services & The Academic Success Program for Students w/ LD & AD/HD (ASP)

Team created in 2007 – DS & ASP merged under one roof & part of the documentation process shifted

Team consists of:-AD/HD LD Specialist-Clinical Psychologist from Campus Health Services-Disability Service providers-Later a Learning Specialist focused on test-taking

Tiffany Bailey, Accessibility Resources & Service, NC AHEAD 10/4-10/5

Benefits of Team Review

• Multiple perspectives

• Varying expertise

• Great sounding board for the office

Tiffany Bailey, Accessibility Resources & Service, NC AHEAD 10/4-10/5

Focus of Team

LEARNING!

How do we best help this student? What resources do they need to know about?

Determining accommodations was not the primary focus; although, they were discussed at times for more complicated cases.

Tiffany Bailey, Accessibility Resources & Service, NC AHEAD 10/4-10/5

Process to Request Accomms

Student submits documentation, based on our current guidelines, and Current Impact Statement (student reflection on difficulties and need)

Communication occurs throughout the process from our office

Student documentation is reviewed by the Team & discussed at a standing weekly meeting – Tuesdays, 9-11am

Documentation was posted using a secure, internal portal

Student meets with DS provider to discuss resources, accommodations, and how to put accommodations into place

Tiffany Bailey, Accessibility Resources & Service, NC AHEAD 10/4-10/5

Tiffany Bailey, Accessibility Resources & Service, NC AHEAD 10/4-10/5

AHEAD Guidance on Documentation

-Extensive documentation is burdensome

-“Professional judgment is an essential component of this process.”

-“If the student is unable to clearly describe how the disability is connected to a barrier and how the accommodation would provide access, the institution may need to request third party documentation focused on illustrating that connection.”

Types of documentation broken down to:

Primary – Student reportSecondary – Observations by the DS provider Tertiary – Documentation from a doctor, professor, tutors, etc.

GREATEST EMPHASIS PLACED ON PRIMARY & SECONDARY!

Tiffany Bailey, Accessibility Resources & Service, NC AHEAD 10/4-10/5

Discussion at Team

Shared with the Team and discussed on 7/3/12 & 7/27/12

At the meeting on 7/27/12 shared the PPT from National AHEAD…more guidance on the guidance

Tiffany Bailey, Accessibility Resources & Service, NC AHEAD 10/4-10/5

July 3 Brainstorm

Tiffany Bailey, Accessibility Resources & Service, NC AHEAD 10/4-10/5

Team Concerns/Questions

How will we be able to determine reasonable accommodations without detailed, up-to-date documentation?

How will we know strengths and weaknesses?

How do we know if the functional limitation is related to a skill deficit or disability/medical condition?

If someone does not have a diagnosis and we approve them for accommodations, how will we justify this to faculty? Do we need to change our faculty letter? i.e. “disability or medical condition”

Tiffany Bailey, Accessibility Resources & Service, NC AHEAD 10/4-10/5

Wait, there’s more…

What documentation is acceptable to us?

What does this guidance mean? How do we interpret this document?

Tiffany Bailey, Accessibility Resources & Service, NC AHEAD 10/4-10/5

July 27 Brainstorm

Tiffany Bailey, Accessibility Resources & Service, NC AHEAD 10/4-10/5

New Structure

Group 1: Diagnosis prior & intervention

Group 2: No diagnosis & history of informal accommodations

Group 3: No history & no diagnosis

Team only reviews Group 2 & Group 3

Tiffany Bailey, Accessibility Resources & Service, NC AHEAD 10/4-10/5

Tiffany Bailey, Accessibility Resources & Service, NC AHEAD 10/4-10/5

New Process

Step 1: Student submits either Current Impact Statement &/or Documentation (including tertiary documentation)

Step 2: Group 1 students meet with staff to determine accommodations. Group 2 & 3 meet with staff to collect more information and may receive provisional accommodations while working with someone in the Learning Center if this is determined to be reasonable. Screening materials are used to gather more data.

Tiffany Bailey, Accessibility Resources & Service, NC AHEAD 10/4-10/5

New Process Cont.Step 3: Group 2 & 3 are reviewed by teamand information presented by staff member who saw the student for Step 2

Step 4: Approved students meet with staff to put accommodations in place. Students not approved will be given information about resources & next steps

Tiffany Bailey, Accessibility Resources & Service, NC AHEAD 10/4-10/5

TimelineInformally make changes during the Fall 2012 academic year with the goal of implementing January 2013

• Write new documentation guidelines & clearly articulate the process

• Inform campus stakeholders

• Update our website and materials

• Assess the process once implemented

Tiffany Bailey, Accessibility Resources & Service, NC AHEAD 10/4-10/5

Questions?