General Guidelines for Documentation of a Disability

Clark College and the Disability Access Center (DAC) Office staff assist those with disabilities in pursuing their educational goals. The DAC staff is committed to assuring Clark College, its services, programs, and activities are accessible to individuals with disabilities. The institution takes seriously its responsibility to follow both the spirit and letter of all pertinent federal and state mandates.

Clark College recognizes that traditional methods, programs, and services may need to be altered to assure full accessibility to qualified persons with disabilities. The DAC Office is the primary focus of efforts by Clark College to assure nondiscrimination on the basis of disability. Through the DAC Office, qualified persons with disabilities can address their concerns regarding attitudinal or procedural barriers encountered, as well as any need for academic adjustments and/or auxiliary aids to assure equal access. The DAC Office will provide information and auxiliary aids or services, as well as serving as a resource to the campus community in striving to make Clark College both an accessible and hospitable place for persons with disabilities to enjoy full and equal participation.

Clark College will provide academic adjustments and/or auxiliary aids to otherwise qualified individuals with disabilities, who without these adjustments and/or aids would not be provided equal access, unless an academic adjustment or auxiliary aid would alter the fundamental requirements of the course or program. Academic adjustments and/or auxiliary aids are based on the current impact of the functional limitation(s) of the disability.

In order to fully evaluate requests for academic adjustments or auxiliary aids, Clark College may need documentation of the disability. This consists of an evaluation by an appropriate professional and describes the current impact of the disability as it relates to the adjustment request. Specific documentation guidelines are available on the Clark College website (www.clark.edu/DAC) or in the Disability Access Center Office. The cost and responsibility for providing documentation shall be borne by the student.

Documentation received is kept in the Disability Access Center Office. Information will only be released to Clark College personnel on an educational need to know basis. Information regarding academic adjustments, auxiliary aids, disability, or student status will not be released to persons outside of Clark College without written permission from the student.

The Disability Access Center Office will use the documentation provided to evaluate requests for academic adjustments and/or auxiliary aids. The evaluation process will include a review of the documentation and the fundamental requirements of the program or course in question.

The evaluation process will generate a list of potentially reasonable adjustments that will then be reviewed based on potential effectiveness, preferences of the requester, maximum level of integration, and the potential for an undue financial or administrative burden.

Documentation guidelines are available on the Clark College website under Campus Services or from the Disability Access Center Office. If, after reading these guidelines, there are any questions, contact the Disability Access Center Director at

For individuals who have recently been receiving services from a public school system the information requested may be contained in the Psycho-Educational Evaluation, Summary Report, or Multidisciplinary Team Report from your most recent Triennial Review. A copy of the student's most recent IEP will contain helpful information to assist in the process; however, the IEP alone typically does not contain the information needed to determine appropriate academic adjustments and/or auxiliary aids.

For individuals who are or have been receiving services from a state rehabilitation agency the information requested may be contained in your most recent eligibility evaluation and/or your vocational plan.

For individuals transferring from another college the information related to your disability will not be sent with a transcript request. You must request that information separately. Additionally, the information Clark College is requesting may or may not have been a part of your previous college's evaluation process.

The Disability Access Center Office will not make copies of documentation received. The student should make a copy of the documents prior to sending them to the Disability Access Center Office. If the student does not keep a copy or wants a copy of documents sent directly to the Disability Access Center Office, he or she will have to request a copy from the originator.