To qualify for services, a student must provide documentation of a diagnosed hearing disability. The guidelines that follow are provided to assure that evaluation reports are appropriate to determine eligibility and to support requests for reasonable accommodations. The Office of Disability Services (ODS) staff is available to consult with students or diagnosticians regarding the following guidelines:

Practitioners Who Can Provide a Diagnosis: Licensed Audiologists, Otologists and similarly trained medical professionals.

Recency of Documentation: If hearing is stable, a statement to that effect and the most recent documentation is usually sufficient. If hearing is not stable, documentation should be as close as possible to the date that accommodations are requested, usually within the last six months.

Contents of Documentation:

1) A specific designation as deaf or hard of hearing.

2) Functional limitations on major life activities as a result of being deaf or hard of hearing. These may include but are not limited to:

• Communication
• Receptive and/or Expressive language skills
• Academic skill development

3) Evidence to support the functional limitations statements made in #2. This may include but is not limited to:

• Audiological results
• Age of onset
• Aptitude/Cognitive Ability: Assessed using a standardized test such as the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale - Fourth Edition or a similar instrument
• Academic Achievement: Tests of reading, writing and math skills measured by standardized and comprehensive individual achievement tests such as the Woodcock-Johnson Third Edition, the Wechsler Individual Achievement Test - II or other similar tests
• Receptive and Expressive Language: Assessed using standardized measures of receptive and expressive language ability
• Clinical observation/interview

4) A statement regarding the use of hearing aids (if relevant)

5) Recommended Accommodations. All accommodations should be directly related to functional limitations listed in #2. The rationale for each recommendation should be contained in #3 above.

6) Recommendations for other supports, strategies or services that may benefit the individual in a higher education environment, including suggestions about how assistive technology may be used.

7) Other pertinent diagnoses or recommendations for other evaluations that may be needed. This should also include any anticipated changes in the student's condition.

This is not intended to be an exhaustive list or to restrict assessment in other pertinent areas. Acceptable alternative evaluations may be determined by the ODS.

Students seeking qualified professionals for assessments may find referral sources from disability services staff at a college or university, or from a physician. ODS staff at KSC are available to assist with selection criteria for a qualified professional.

ALL DOCUMENTATION IS CONFIDENTIAL AND SHOULD BE SUBMITTED TO:

Office of Disability Services
Keene State College
229 Main Street
Keene, NH 03435-2609

or faxed to a confidential line at 603-358-2313.