DocumentationSupporting documentation should be provided by students to support their disability and must be dated and signed by the appropriate health or disability specialist, and should be: - No more than 2 weeks old for temporary conditions.
- No more than 6 months old for fluctuating conditions.
- Yearly for ADD/ADHD (unless considered permanent by the assessing specialist).
- No more than 3 years old for a learning disability - a psychometric report with a tertiary/adult emphasis.
- Unrestricted for a permanent disability.
In addition, the documentation provided should be specific and: - State the impairment, mental health or medical condition.
- Indicate whether the disability is permanent, temporary or fluctuating.
- Outline the impact on the student.
- Recommend reasonable accommodations.
- Clearly identify the health professional and their credentials.
- Be legible, on a letterhead, dated and signed.
If the documentation does not detail these points it will be very difficult to get the support that you may be requesting.
If you have a Learning Disability, then recent and comprehensive testing must have occurred and the reports must be submitted with your application. If you do not have a Learning Disability you may opt to use the Professional Supporting Certificate (PDF 469Kb). Documentation Guidelines for Academic Adjustment at BondBond University provides students with a disability or medical condition, one on one advocacy and case management support to empower students to achieve study, personal and career goals. The Disability Office is dedicated to the co-ordination of suitable reasonable accommodations based on individual needs and in place to ensure that students with a disability, illness, or medical condition have the same fundamental rights of equality in the area of education as the rest of the community.
To ensure students with disability or medical condition are provided with opportunities to realise their potential on the same basis as other students, students may apply for reasonable adjustments in support of their studies, including exams and assessment items. The required relevant and current documentation is listed below and is dependent on the conditions that may warrant academic adjustments. At Bond University, we invite students to apply for personal and reasonable accommodations by the end of Week 4.
The process involves the following 3 steps: - An Application for Academic Adjustment form to be submitted
- Supporting documentation as tabled below
- An appointment with a Disability Officer to negotiate possible adjustments
It is not appropriate for students to provide documentation from professionals who are members of their family or where there is a personal or business relationship. Scroll down for details about specific conditions or disabilities.
| CONDITIONS THAT MAY WARRANT ACADEMIC ADJUSTMENTS | REQUIRED DOCUMENTATION |
|---|
Appropriate Professional:
Registered Psychologist, Psychiatrist Documentation should include: 1. A clear statement of the condition, including diagnosis present symptoms and whether the condition is mild, moderate or severe in nature. 2. Documentation must provide evidence of ADHD/ADD based on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV and must confirm that the condition currently impacts on study or participation. 3. If a learning disability exists with another disability, and the student requires accommodations for both disabilities, then diagnostic evidence of all disabilities must be included in the report(s). 4. Suggestions that may act as a guideline for Disability Officers to negotiate suitable academic adjustments for this student. | Appropriate Professional:
Audiologist Documentation should include: 1. The amount and type of hearing loss and whether the impairment is permanent, fluctuating, or short-term. 2. The impact of the impairment on the student's functioning in the university environment (e.g. the need for assistive technology). 3. Suggestions that may act as a guideline for Disability Officers to negotiate suitable academic adjustments for this student. | Appropriate Professional:
General Practitioner (with management history and history of specialist visit/tests),Specialist Documentation should include: 1. A clear statement of the condition including diagnosis present symptoms and whether the condition is mild, moderate or severe in nature. 2. A statement indicating whether the disability is permanent, fluctuating, or short-term or if the disability needs to be reassessed after a period of time (e.g. every 6 months, yearly). 3. Relevant medical information on letterhead relating to the impact of the disability or condition on the student's capacity to meet academic requirements within the university context. 4. Suggestions that may act as a guideline for Disability Officers to negotiate suitable academic adjustments for this student. | Appropriate Professional:
Educational Psychologist with training and experience in testing for a Learning Disability, Neuropsychologist Documentation on letterhead should include: 1. The name and credentials of the Psychologist, including the date of the testing. 2. Standardised assessment of current levels of aptitude, achievement and information processing. 3. Clear and specific evidence and identification of a learning disability. Individual 'learning styles' and 'learning differences’ do not constitute a learning disability. 4. Actual test scores and interpretation of these results. 5. Evidence of comprehensive age-appropriate testing and all test scores. (Testing using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) is not acceptable for students 21 years and over.) 6. A comprehensive diagnostic interview that includes academic, developmental, family, and psychosocial history. 7. A statement of the strengths and weaknesses that will affect the student's capacity to meet academic demands and recommendations relevant to the university environment. Recommendations should be based on objective evidence of limitations in learning and supported by test results. 8. Documentation should be no more than 3 years old unless the assessment and report has been conducted in adulthood. At age 21, it is considered that the student has reached cognitive maturity. 9. Suggestions that may act as a guideline for Disability Officers to negotiate suitable academic adjustments for this student. 10. Testing and diagnosis by an Irlen System Clinic or Auditory Processing testing by an audiologist is unacceptable as the sole basis for a diagnosis of learning disability, unless it contains a comprehensive assessment conducted by a qualified psychologist. 11. For further information on assessment of learning disability go to : http://www.adcet.edu.au/oao/ | Appropriate Professional: Chronic Conditions: Neurologist, Neurophysiologist, Registered Psychologist with Clinical Designation, Psychiatrist Temporary Conditions: General Practitioner Documentation should include: 1. A clear statement of the condition, including diagnosis present symptoms and whether the condition is mild, moderate or severe in nature. 2. Relevant medical information on letterhead relating to the impact of the disability or condition on the student's capacity to meet academic requirements within the university context. 3. Suggestions that may act as a guideline for Disability Officers to negotiate suitable academic adjustments for this student. | Appropriate Professional: Chronic Conditions: Specialist , Physiotherapist (with management history and history of specialist visit/tests), Occupational Therapist (with management history and history of specialist visit/tests) Temporary Conditions: General Practitioner, Physiotherapist, Occupational Therapist Documentation should include: 1. A clear statement of the condition, including diagnosis present symptoms and whether the condition is mild, moderate or severe in nature. 2. A statement indicating the severity of the condition and whether the disability is permanent, fluctuating or short-term or if the disability needs to be reassessed after a period of time (e.g. every 6 months, yearly). 3. Relevant medical information on letterhead relating to the impact of the disability or condition on the student's capacity to meet academic requirements within the university context. 4. If condition or disability is temporary, the documentation should specify the time frame for which the student is expected to be affected, the nature of the condition and the limitations on the student’s performance. 5. Suggestions that may act as a guideline for Disability Officers to negotiate suitable academic adjustments for this student. | Appropriate Professional: Registered Psychologist, Psychiatrist and General Practitioner (not sufficient by itself to receive comprehensive support). Documentation should include: 1. A clear statement of the condition, including diagnosis present symptoms and whether the condition is mild, moderate or severe in nature. 2. Relevant medical information on letterhead relating to the impact of the disability or condition on the student's capacity to meet academic requirements within the university context. 3. Only interim support (generally up to one semester) will be available if your General Practitioner makes a diagnosis. 4. Suggestions that may act as a guideline for Disability Officers to negotiate suitable academic adjustments for this student. | Appropriate Professional: General Practitioner, Physiotherapist, Occupational Therapist, A&E Hospital Documentation should include: 1. A clear statement of the condition, including diagnosis present symptoms and whether the condition is mild, moderate or severe in nature. 2. The documentation should specify the time frame for which the student is expected to be affected and the limitations on the student’s performance. 3. A statement indicating the severity of the condition and whether the disability needs to be reassessed after a period of time (e.g. every 6 months, yearly). 4. Relevant medical information on letterhead relating to the impact of the disability or condition on the student's capacity to meet academic requirements within the university context. 5. Suggestions that may act as a guideline for Disability Officers to negotiate suitable academic adjustments for this student. | Appropriate Professional: Ophthalmologist, Optometrist Documentation should include: 1. The amount of residual vision present and whether the impairment is permanent, fluctuating, or short-term. The type of visual impairment such as cortical, eye injury, optic nerve should also be included 2. Relevant medical information on letterhead relating to the impact of the disability or condition on the student's capacity to meet academic requirements within the university context. 3. Suggestions that may act as a guideline for Disability Officers to negotiate suitable academic adjustments for this student. |
Without appropriate Australian documentation, services and supports may not be available to you or may be restricted. In most cases at least interim support can be arranged. If after a period of one semester, appropriate documentation has not been sighted, then support arrangements will be reviewed. In some cases, a Disability Officer may require further documentation during your studies if your circumstances change or to make decisions regarding specific aspects of your support.
If you have any questions in relation to documentation, please contact a Disability Officer on 55954002.
The University's request for this information is in compliance with the minimum standards and operational guidelines as outlined in the 'Students with Disabilities: Code of Practice for Australian Tertiary Institutions (1998) ':
F8 ’An institution requires students where necessary to demonstrate or supply certification of the functional limitations of their disability as a basis for requesting reasonable adjustments '.
|
