How Current Must the Evaluation Be?
UCLA generally requires that submitted documentation be within 3-5 years, but will utilize common sense and discretion in accepting older documentation of conditions that are permanent or non-varying. For conditions that are likely to change in presentation, severity, and functional limitations over time (i.e. psychological disabilities, TBI, etc.), documentation no older than 1 year is typically required.
The University, therefore, reserves the right to request additional information in order to determine eligibility If your impairment is lifelong or permanent, your documentation may not need to meet the same currency requirement. Documentation that identifies your diagnosis, documents your functional limitations due to the sensory impairment, and provides rationale for each recommendation for accommodations will be accepted.
What Must the Evaluation Report Include?
Although the specifics of the report will vary according to the nature of your impairment, in general, the following components should be included:
1. Identifying Information. The first page of the report should be printed on the evaluator’s letterhead, and should include your name, date of birth, date of the evaluation, age at the time of the evaluation, and grade and school (if applicable).
2. A Comprehensive Evaluation and Clinical Impressions. The report should include a detailed description of a comprehensive evaluation, including:
- a. Relevant background information, including your academic history and any educational impact from your sensory impairment.
- b. Discussion of the history of your condition.
- c. Discussion of the current treatments for your condition.
- d. Discussion of the prognosis for your condition.
- e. Actual scores and findings from all tests and procedures administered and all measurements and scales used that collectively demonstrate the level of impairment must be provided (include test names, results, and age-referenced normal ranges, if available).
- i. With particular regard to visual impairments, such data/findings should generally include: visual acuities (best corrected for near and distance vision), eye health (external and internal evaluations), visual field printouts (formally tested, not confrontation), binocular evaluation (eye deviation, diplopia, suppression, stereopsis), accommodative skills (at reading distances, with and without lenses, provide measurements), oculomotor skills (saccades, pursuits, tracking).
- f. A summary that integrates previous test results, relevant history, current test results, and clinical impressions and includes a diagnostic statement (see below).
- g. Discussion of the functional impact of your condition on a major life activity.
- h. Discussion of how your diagnosis and symptoms may impact your experiences as a UCLA student. If your sensory impairment is identified as affecting your reading ability, a detailed description explaining the nature of that impact should be provided. When recommending extra testing time on that basis, it may be appropriate/necessary to include standardized measures of reading skills, including reading speed and fluency.
3. Diagnosis. The diagnosis must:
- a. Be based on relevant history, test results, level of current functioning, and clinical judgment, and
- b. Use standard diagnostic codes. If you are thought to have two or more disorders, the diagnostic report should clearly describe the unique impact of each, and the evaluation guidelines for each disorder should be met.