Eligibility for Accommodations

Eligibility  for  accommodations  and  services  are  established  through information  obtained  from  the  student’s  self‐report (ARConnect Application) and self-submitted medical documentation. The documentation must be on letterhead, typed, dated, and signed. The information must be from a qualified/licensed professional (e.g., physician, psychiatrist, psychologist, mental health counselor, etc.), who is unrelated to the student, and whose credentials permit the evaluation of the disability. The following guidelines are provided to assist students in obtaining documentation to establish the need for reasonable accommodations:

  1. A clear statement of the medical and/or psychiatric diagnosis (i.e., ICD-10, DSM-5) with a description of the student’s current symptoms (if applicable, specify if the diagnosis is in partial or full remission).
  2. Date of the initial diagnosis and/or date of the most recent visit with the student for this diagnosis.
  3. Information regarding the functional impact or limitations of the condition or disability on the student’s learning and other major life activities.
  4. The impact of medication on the student’s ability to meet the demands of the postsecondary environment, if relevant.
  5. The expected duration, stability, and/or progression of the disability.
  6. For students who experience flare ups or intermittent symptoms, describe the current severity, duration, and frequency.
  7. For  students  with  a  documented  learning  disability:  documentation  ideally  includes  a  comprehensive  evaluation  of intelligence and academic achievement, with standardized scaled scores and composite scores to support the diagnosis or eligibility classification. This is commonly included in a psychoeducational evaluation conducted by a school psychologist or a licensed psychologist.
  8. Suggest recommendations for accommodations and/or services that the student may require and describe how the student’s disability necessitates the need for the specific requested accommodation.
  9. For UWM Housing requests, the following information is also required:
    • State the specific accommodations that are needed in housing;
    • Describe how the student’s medical/psychiatric condition necessitates the need for the requested housing accommodation, as it relates to the student’s disability;
    • Demonstrate how the specific room design and/or living environment will help to mitigate the student’s symptoms;
    • State whether, based on disability reasons, the specific housing request is a preference or a required accommodation.

Documentation Form

Documentation is essential for ARC to develop an effective accommodation plan for each student. The below documentation form, completed by your provider, can serve as a source of primary documentation for academic accommodations.

You may also complete the Authorization For Release Of Confidential Information form, requesting your provider or health facility to send documentation directly to ARC.

Requests for Accommodations in University Housing must be supported by documentation as well. Students requesting more than one assistance animal must provide separate documentation for each animal, describing why each animal is uniquely prescribed.

Open the documentation form below, go to page 5, and complete the Supplemental Disability Documentation for University Housing Accommodation Requests.

Additional Documentation

Further assessment or additional documentation may be necessary, if the documentation does not support the requested accommodations. Please contact the ARC at (414) 229‐6287 if you have any questions. All documentation is considered confidential and should be uploaded with your ARConnect Application, emailed to: archelp@uwm.edu or sent via U.S. Mail to: University of Wisconsin‐Milwaukee, Accessibility Resource Center, Mitchell Hall, Room 115, 3203 N. Downer Ave., Milwaukee WI 53211.

Types of documentation that may be helpful to include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Educational, psychological, or medical records;
  • Reports and assessments conducted by healthcare providers, clinical psychologists, licensed social workers, or school psychologists;
  • Documents that outline use of academic accommodations such as an Individualized Education Program (IEP), Section 504 Plan, and psychoeducational evaluations.

Documentation serves two primary purposes. First, it helps ARC to determine if the student is a qualified individual with a disability. Second, it helps ARC determine the appropriate accommodations.

There are three types of documentation:

  1. Primary Documentation: The basis for the determination of accommodations will primarily be based on medical and/or psychological information reported by a specialist who has expertise in the field of the students declared disability. This documentation must be signed, dated, and on letterhead. Recent documentation within 36 months from the date of the application for accommodation is preferred.
  2. Secondary Documentation: Professional judgment of the AS gathered on the ARC application and/or during the interview or conversations with the student who is requesting accommodations. Information will include the student’s report of disability, current functioning, experiences of the disability, barriers, medication and impact, triggers or stressors, and a history of approved/ used accommodations and effectiveness.
  3. Tertiary Documentation: Third Party documentation may include IEP’s, 504 Plans, or professional reports including Psychological, Psycho-Educational, evaluations developed for the student while they were in primary/secondary education. This type of documentation may support primary documentation to help better understand a student’s needs.