Disability Services

Diagnostic Documents:

• Appropriate diagnostic documentation of disability must be submitted to ODS in order to receive services.
• Official reports documenting your disability must originate with an appropriate professional in the field who is eligible to diagnose and treat the type of disability that applies to your case. The diagnostic report should be recent enough to reflect your current status.
• ODS supervisors determine if the diagnostic information that you provide is sufficient.
• Diagnostic reports should include the names of tests administered, test results, diagnosis and prognosis. Statements regarding how the disability may impact your academic performance are helpful. Special education paperwork from high school (ARD papers) without specific diagnostic reports are not sufficient.

The following guidelines are provided to assist the service provider in collaborating with each student to determine appropriate accommodations. Documentation serves as a foundation that legitimizes a student's request for accommodations that are appropriate and reasonable.

Learning disabilities:

In Texas, licensed psychologists, licensed specialists in school psychology and certified educational diagnosticians are professionals qualified to conduct comprehensive assessments for specific learning disabilities.

Recommended documentation:

• Testing that is comprehensive, including a measure of both aptitude (IQ) and achievement in the areas of reading, mathematics and written language
• Documentation for eligibility should be current, preferably within the last three years; (the age of acceptable documentation is dependent upon the disabling condition, the current status of the student and the student's specific request for accommodations)
• A clear statement that a learning disability is present along with the rationale for this diagnosis. (Note: individual "learning deficits," "learning styles," and "learning differences," do not, constitute a learning disability)
• A narrative summary, including all scores, which supports the diagnosis
• A statement of strengths and needs that will impact the student's ability to meet the demands of the higher education environment
• Most importantly, in order to determine appropriate and effective accommodations, please describe the significant impact of this disability on any major life activity (fuctional limitations).

Attention deficit/hyperactive disorder:

Attention Deficit/Hyperactive Disorder (AD/HD) is considered a medical or clinical diagnosis. Individuals qualified to render a diagnosis for this disorder are practitioners who have been trained in the assessment of AD/HD and are experienced in assessing the needs of adult learners. Recommended practitioners may include: developmental pediatricians, neurologists, psychiatrists, licensed clinical or educational psychologists, family physicians, or a combination of such professionals. The diagnostician should be an impartial individual who is not a family member of the student.

Recommended documents:

• A clear statement of ADD or AD/HD with the DSM-IV diagnosis and a description of supporting past and present symptoms
• Documentation for eligibility should be current, preferably within the last three years; (the age of acceptable documentation is dependent upon the disabling condition, the current status of the student and the student's specific request for accommodations)
• A summary of assessment procedures and evaluation instruments used to make the diagnosis
• A narrative summary, including all scores, which supports the diagnosis
• Medical information relating to the student's needs to include the impact of medication on the student's ability to meet the demands of the postsecondary environment
• Most importantly, in order to determine appropriate and effective accommodations, please describe the significant impact of this disability on any major life activities ("functional limitations" as described by the ADA. Limitations must be significant to be defined as a legal disability)

Visual impairment:

Authorized professional Ophthalmologists are the primary professionals involved in diagnosis and medical treatment of individuals who are blind or experience low vision. Optometrists provide information regarding the measurement of visual acuity as well as tracking and fusion difficulties (including but not limited to: eye movement disorders, inefficiency in using both eyes together, misalignment of the eyes, lazy eye, focusing problems, visual sensory disorders and motor integration). Fellows of the College of Optometrists in Vision Development may also provide therapy in treating the above optometric conditions.

Recommended documents:

• A clear statement of vision related disability with supporting numerical description (the age of acceptable documentation is dependent upon the disabling condition, the current status of the student and the student's request for accommodations)
• A summary of assessment procedures and evaluation instruments used to make the diagnosis and a summary of evaluation results including standardized scores
• Present symptoms, which meet the criteria for diagnosis
• Medical information relating to the student's needs and the status of the individual's vision (static or changing) and its impact on the demands of the academic program
• Narrative or descriptive text providing both quantitative and qualitative information about the student's abilities which might be helpful in understanding the student's profile including the use of corrective lenses and ongoing visual therapy (if appropriate)
• Most importantly, in order to determine appropriate and effective accommodations, please describe the significant impact of this disability on any major life activity (fuctional limitations).

Hearing impairment:

Authorized professional Physicians (i.e., otologists) are qualified to provide diagnosis and treatment of hearing disorders. Audiologists may also provide current audiograms.

Recommended documents:

• A clear statement of deafness or hearing loss, with a current audiogram
• (the age of acceptable documentation is dependent upon the condition, the current status of the student, and the student's request for accommodations)
• A summary of assessment procedures and evaluation instruments used to make the diagnosis and a narrative summary of evaluation results, if appropriate
• Medical information relating to the student's needs and the status of the individual's hearing (static or changing) and its impact on the demands of the academic program
• A statement regarding the use of hearing aids (if appropriate)
• Most importantly, in order to determine appropriate and effective accommodations, please describe the significant impact of this disability on any major life activity (fuctional limitations).

Speech impairment:

Diagnostic report provided by speech pathologist.

Mobility impairment:

Authorized professional Mobility impairments and physical disabilities are considered to be in the medical domain and require the expertise of a physician, including an orthopedist, physical therapist, neurologist, or other medical specialist with experience and expertise in the area for which accommodations are being requested.

Recommended documents:

• A clear statement of the medical diagnosis of the physical disability or systemic illness
• Documentation for eligibility should be current, preferably within the last three years; (the age of acceptable documentation is dependent upon the disabling condition, the current status of the student and the student's request for accommodations)
• A summary of assessment procedures and evaluation instruments used to make the diagnosis, including evaluation results and standardized scores if applicable
• A description of present symptoms which meet the criteria for diagnosis
• Medical information relating to the student's needs to include the impact of medication on the student's ability to meet the demands of the postsecondary environment
• In order to determine appropriate and effective accommodations, please describe the significant impact of this disability on any major life activity (fuctional limitations).

Psychiatric Disorder:

Students requesting accommodations on the basis of a psychiatric disability must provide the current documentation from a licensed psychologist, psychiatrist, or licensed clinical social worker, which must include: 

• A specific, current psychiatric diagnosis as per the DSM-IV which indicates the nature, frequency and severity of the symptoms upon which the diagnosis was predicated. A diagnosis without an explicit listing of current symptoms is not sufficient. Primary and secondary Axis I and Axis II diagnoses are required.
• Evidence of current impairment. An assessment of the individual's presenting symptoms and evidence of current behaviors that significantly impair functioning must be provided. In an academic setting, functional impairment is most often expressed in poor academic performance across a variety of academic tasks.
• Evidence is needed to determine the current impact of the disorder on the individual's ability to function in an academic setting and to establish eligibility for classroom accommodations including alternative testing, notetakers and/or alternative media (taped books electronic text). 
• Prescribed medications, dosages and schedules which may influence the types of accommodations provided.
• A clinical summary which: (a) indicates the substantial limitations to major life activities posed by the psychiatric disability, (b) describes the extent to which these limitations would impact the academic context for which accommodations are being requested, (c) suggests how the specific effects of the psychiatric disability may be accommodated, and (d.) states how the effects of the psychiatric disability are mediated by the recommended accommodations. 

Traumatic brain injury:

Recommended documents:  Reports from a neurologist or neuro-psychologist.

Bring relevant diagnostic reports signed by a professional authorized to diagnose and/or treat your disability. The report should be on the professional’s letterhead and recent enough to be reflective of your current status and situation.

• Tuition Exemptions for Students who are deaf or blind: If you are a student who is deaf or blind, you will need to bring proof of your disability, letter of intent and letter of recommendation before KC can process a tuition exemption for you.
• Read over the Quick Reference Guide and Differences between High School and College links.
• Make an appointment for the KC Assessment test. Discuss any test accommodations that you need. The test selected depends on your choice of major and if you plan to pursue a degree or a certificate.
• Attend a KC New Student Orientation required for new students.
• Meet with a Disability Services Counselor at the Kilgore campus. Bring your scores from the KC Assessment test. This will help to place you in the right classes.
• After you have registered, pay for your classes by the designated deadline or contact your sponsoring agency with your tuition information.