University of Toronto Scarborough

Documentation Requirements

Requirements for Specific Disabilities/Health Considerations:

Acquired Brain Injury
Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
Blind or Low Vision
Chronic Medical Disability
Deaf, Deafened or Hard of Hearing
Functional/Fine Motor
Learning Disability
Mental Health Disability
Mobility Disability

Documentation

In order to receive support from AccessAbility Services students have the responsibility "to communicate his or her needs in sufficient detail and to co-operate in consultations to enable the person responsible for accommodation to respond to the request" (Ontario Human Rights Code, 1994, p.17).

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Guidelines for Documentation

Must be recent and be updated as requested by the office. If the student's condition is a chronic and/or changing condition, the student must provide updated documentation so that an accurate picture of the students functioning can be established and so that their accommodations can be adjusted accordingly.
Documentation should describe the disability or condition, provide a diagnosis where possible, note how the condition manifests and its effect/impact on academic performance. The documentation must be thorough enough to support the accommodations being considered.
A licensed professional, qualified in the appropriate specialty area, should provide documentation.
A list of prescribed medications, possible side effects, and effects on academic performance is strongly recommended.
Permission to consult with the practitioner who supplied the documentation may be required.
The specialist MUST use their office stamp on the Medical Certificate or provide a signature on letterhead.
An individual who is impartial must provide documentation, specifically someone not related to the student.

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Requirements for Specific Disabilities/Health Considerations

The AccessAbility Services Medical Certificate is available online.

The following are broad guidelines for the types of documentation required by AccessAbility Services for provision of accommodations. For more specific information please contact the office.

Acquired Brain Injury: the AccessAbility Services Medical Certificate by your physician/specialist stating the diagnosis and impact of the disability including difficulties experienced, recommended accommodations, medications and any side effects; a copy of a neuro-psychological assessment; a letter from your high school citing the accommodations received (if applicable)

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Attention Deficit / Hyperactivity Disorder: a copy of a recent diagnostic report (three years or less) which states the DSM diagnosis, symptoms and difficulties experienced, recommended accommodations/strategies. As well, a list of prescribed medications, possible side effects, and effects on academic performance is recommended.; a letter from your high school citing the accommodations received (if applicable)

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Blind or Low Vision: the AccessAbility Services Medical Certificate which includes diagnosis, visual acuity, difficulties experienced and recommended accommodations; a letter from your high school citing the accommodations received (if applicable)

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Chronic Medical Disability: the AccessAbility Services Medical Certificate completed by your physician/specialist stating the diagnosis and impact of the disability including difficulties experienced, recommended accommodations, medications and any side effects; a letter from your high school citing the accommodations received (if applicable)

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Deaf, Deafened or Hard-Of-Hearing: a copy of your most recent audiological examination; the AccessAbility Services Medical Certificate which includes diagnosis, degree, configuration of loss, difficulties experienced and recommended accommodations including suggestions about appropriate technical support (i.e., FM System); a letter from your high school, itinerant teacher or resource room citing the accommodations received (if applicable)

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Functional / Fine Motor: the Medical Certificate completed by your physician/specialist stating the diagnosis and impact of the disability including difficulties experienced, recommended accommodations, medications and any side effects; a letter from your high school citing the accommodations received (if applicable)

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Learning Disability: a copy of a comprehensive psycho-educational testing, administered by a registered psychologist, within the last three to five years stating the diagnosis and the type of learning disability, all test scores, a description of the academic difficulties resulting from the disability and recommended accommodations; a letter from your high school citing the accommodations received and copies of your Individual Education Plan from high school (if applicable)

NOTE: AccessAbility Services can arrange for a Psycho-Educational Assessment to determine if a Learning Disability is present. Please book an appointment with the Disability Specialist as soon as possible.

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Mental Health Disability: the Medical Certificate which includes a DSM diagnosis from a psychologist or psychiatrist stating the diagnosis, characteristics of the disability, difficulties experienced, medication and side effects and recommended accommodations/strategies; a letter from your high school citing the accommodations received (if applicable)

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Mobility Disability: the Medical Certificate, which includes the diagnosis, description of difficulties experienced and recommended accommodations; a list of prescribed medications, possible side effects, and effects on academic performance is recommended.; a letter from your high school citing the accommodations received (if applicable)

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