STUDENTS' CORNER
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Applying for Services
The student must be found eligible for services.
Call, stop by or email the Office of Student Disability Services (SDS) to set up an appointment for an initial interview. 850-973-9484 (V), 850-973-1611 (TTY) or email us at Student Disabilities Services.
Bring copies of any documentation of a disability. Current documentation is required for services.
You will meet with the SDS staff member, review the documentation and, if necessary, work together to find resources that may provide more current evaluations.
During the initial interview, the SDS staff member will discuss your needs with you and review all documentation information. Eligibility for services is based on a combination of your description of need and the information contained in the current documentation. Providing documentation of a disability is your responsibility. In general, the less obvious the disability, the more information is required to access your needs and make accommodation recommendations.
The college has the discretion to require additional documentation. Pending the receipt of appropriate documentation, the college reserves the right to deny any accommodations.
Documentation of Disability
Disability as defined by civil rights law must constitute a mental or physical condition that results in significant impairment in one or more major life functions. Documentation must state your diagnosis and course of treatment, the nature and severity of your functional limitations, and the duration for which they are expected to continue. Documentation of a disability must substantiate the need for specific accommodations requested.
All documentation must be current.
Current is defined as:
Audiological and vision records of a non-progressive condition 5 years old or less.
Psycho-educational testing for a learning disability or memory/processing condition using adult-normed instruments**, be 5 years old or less and contain a DSM-IV diagnosis. Further details available in Appendix B of NFCC SDS Student Handbook.
Statements regarding physical/orthopedic limitations and accommodation needs for a stable, non-progressive condition 5 years or less.
Reports of psychological disabilities must be 2 years old or less and address medication side effects experienced and relevant academic issues such as anxiety within high stress environments (testing).
Records on a progressive condition of any kind less than 1 year old.
Others based on professional judgment of Disability Specialist.
Please take these guidelines to your clinician and ask them to prepare documentation reports or letters on letterhead as appropriate that provide the information required for your specific disability.
Records must be signed by the licensed professional evaluator.
Please NOTE that IEPs and teacher testing is considered support documentation only.
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