Academic Accessibility Services Contact

Dr. Elaine Craghead, Assistant Dean
Academic Resource Center x5350
ADAcompliance@maritime.edu

Documentation Required

Specific documentation needs
 

Massachusetts Maritime Academy is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities.  The ADA defines a disability as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more life functions.

Documentation of the disability must have been completed within three years of the date of enrollment.  The documentation must include a description of the disability-related impairments as they relate to the individual's ability to learn and participate in their educational program.  For learning disabilities and ADD/ADHD, an evaluation performed within the last three years by a licensed psychologist or neuropsychologist is required.  Evaluations must include testing, analysis, diagnosis, summary, and recommendations.  While a recent IEP or 504 Plan from high school provides additional helpful information, it does not transfer to the post-secondary level and cannot substitute for the evaluation. 

Accommodations are provided when complete documentation is received by the Academic Accessibility Services Office, then reviewed and assessed.  Students will be notified via email regarding their accommodations status.

Any questions regarding this process should be directed to ADAcompliance@maritime.edu.

 


Additional, specific documentation is needed for:
 

 

ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER (ADD) OR ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER (ADHD)

Students with ADD or ADHD must establish eligibility for services and/or reasonable accommodations by providing disability documentation from a professional licensed or certified to diagnose and treat their disability.

Disability documentation for students with ADD or ADHD must be provided by one of the following:

  • Licensed psychologist
  • Licensed neuropsychologist

Documentation of the disability should be the result of comprehensive adult-level testing completed within three years of the date of enrollment.

Documentation must include the following:

  • Diagnosis and DSM code
  • History
  • Observations
  • Comprehensive standardized adult IQ test, recommended, the WAIS-III or -IV, with results and interpretation of all sub-tests included
  • Comprehensive test of achievement, recommended, the Woodcock-Johnson, with results and interpretation of all sub-tests included.
  • Comprehensive attentional assessments, recommended are the TOVA (Test of Variable Attention), the Connors Continuous Performance Test CPT-3, PASAT (paced auditory serial test), 
  • Conclusions
  • Summary
  • Recommendation of accommodations

Additional evaluations are the professional call of the diagnostician, and will help insure the credibility of the eligibility criteria, as well as providing our staff with valuable insight into the student’s disability-related accommodation requests and abilities.

The evaluator MUST include specific recommendations that address the specific learning disability.  (The recommendations usually appear on the last page of the testing results.  Please be sure they are included.)

 

Disability documentation for students with Learning Disabilities must be provided by one of the following:

  • Licensed psychologist
  • Licensed neuropsychologist

Documentation of the disability should be the result of comprehensive adult-level testing completed within three years of the date of enrollment.

Documentation must include the following:

  • Diagnosis and DSM code
  • History
  • Observations
  • Comprehensive standardized adult IQ test, recommended: the WAIS-III or –IV, with results and interpretation of all sub-tests included
  • Comprehensive test of achievement, recommended: the Woodcock-Johnson, with results and interpretation of all sub-tests included.
  • Conclusions
  • Summary
  • Recommendation of accommodations

Additional evaluations are the professional call of the diagnostician, and will help insure the credibility of the eligibility criteria, as well as providing our staff with valuable insight into the student’s disability-related accommodation requests and abilities. 

The evaluator MUST include specific recommendations that address the specific learning disability.  (The recommendations usually appear on the last page of the testing results.  Please be sure they are included.)

 
PSYCHOLOGICAL, MEDICAL OR PHYSICAL DISABILITIES

 Students with psychological, medical or physical disabilities work primarily with the Health Services Office.  Health Services will coordinate with the Disability Resource Office to identify reasonable, appropriate accommodations.  Request for reasonable accommodations, auxiliary aids and academic adjustments on the basis of a psychological, medical or physical disability that substantially limits one or more major life activities which might include but are not limited to: learning, concentrating, seeing, hearing, speaking, walking, breathing, sleeping and/or working must meet the following guidelines.

Comprehensive and detailed information documenting a psychological, medical or physical disability and the need for services must be certified by a licensed physician, psychologist, psychiatrist, social worker, neurologist, speech pathologist or other appropriate professional. Massachusetts Maritime Academy reserves the right to determine the nature and extent of reasonable accommodations, thus additional documentation may be requested to assist in identifying appropriate reasonable accommodations

Documentation should include:

  • A clear diagnostic statement including a description of the duration and severity of condition and the current impact of (or limitation imposed by) the disability within the college setting.
  • A statement regarding treatments or services used to minimize the impact of a disabling condition.
  • Currently prescribed medications if the side effects of such medications create barriers to learning.
  • Recommendations for accommodations that is reasonable and validated by current documentation.
  • The name, title, address and phone number of certifying professional(s) including date of diagnosis and/or evaluation.
  • Test results of auditory functioning or impairment and aids used     (hearing aids, FM systems,     cochlear implants, etc.)
  • Visual acuity and aids used 

The evaluator MUST include specific recommendations that address the specific disability.  (The recommendations usually appear on the last page of the testing results.  Please be sure they are included.)