Students requesting services from Disability Support Services (DSS) at Montgomery College are required to submit documentation to determine eligibility in accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, and the Americans with Disabilities Act.  The following guidelines are provided in the interest of assuring that documentation is complete and accurate.  DSS reserves the right to determine eligibility and appropriate services based on the quality, recency, and completeness of the documentation submitted.  All documentation is confidential and will be maintained by DSS.

Guidelines for Cognitive Disabilities: (Review the checklist below)

__	A psycho-educational evaluation that provides a diagnosis of a cognitive disability must be submitted. A statement indicating the current status and impact of the disability in an academic setting should be included. If another diagnosis is applicable (e.g., ADD/HD), mood disorder), it should be stated.
__	The evaluation must be performed by a certified/licensed professional. The evaluator's name, title, and professional credentials and affiliation should be provided.
__	The evaluation should be based on a comprehensive assessment battery: Aptitude: Average broad cognitive functioning must be demonstrated on an individually administered intelligence test, such as the WAIS-R, WAIS-III, WISC-R, WISC-III, or WJ-R Cognitive Battery. Subscales/subtests scores should be listed. Academic Achievement: A comprehensive academic achievement battery, such as WJ-R, must document achievement deficits relative to potential. The battery should include current levels of academic functioning in relevant areas, such as reading (comprehension, decoding), oral and written language, and mathematics. Standard scores, grade levels, and percentages for subtests administered should be stated. Information Processing: Specific areas of information processing (e.g., short- and long-term memory, abstract reasoning) should be assessed. Social-Emotional Assessment: To provide information needed to establish appropriate services, a social-emotional assessment, using formal assessment instruments and/or clinical interview, should be conducted. Clinical Summary: A diagnostic summary should present a diagnosis of a cognitive disability; provide impressions of the testing situation; interpret the testing data; indicate how patterns in cognitive ability, achievement, and information processing reflect the disability; and recommend specific accommodations based on disability-related deficits.
__	For students just graduating high school, an evaluation reflecting current levels of academic skill should have been administered during their high school tenure; for students who have been out of school for a number of years, documentation will be considered on a case by case basis.  Students may be required to submit up-dated information and/or documentation.
__	Additional documents that do not constitute sufficient documentation, but that may be submitted in addition to a psychological or psycho-educational evaluation are: an individualized educational plan (IEP), a 504 plan, and/or an educational assessment.