Documentation Guidelines For Students Who Have A Disability Or Long-Term Medical Condition

Students requesting services from the Disability Liaison Unit must be actively enrolled in an award course at Monash University and be able to show proof of this by producing their student ID card.

The documentation provided to confirm a disability/chronic medical condition must be written or typed on letterhead, dated, signed, and legible. Students should provide relevant, current documentation from a qualified professional who has comprehensive training and experience in the particular field of disability or health profession. Eg. Medical Specialist, Psychiatrist, General Practitioner, Educational Psychologist. It is not appropriate for students to provide documentation from professionals who are members of their family or where there is a personal or business relationship.

Documentation for:

• Students who have Mental Health Condition
• Students who have a Vision Impairment
• Students who have a Hearing Impairment
• Students who have a Physical Disability
• Students who have a Neurological Condition
• Students who have Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
• Students who have a Learning Disability
• Students who have a Medical Condition

Request form Oncampus, Off Campus Learning (OCL)

• Documentation required for Disability Liaison Unit Services - request form (pdf)
• Documentation required for Disability Liaison Unit Services - request form (doc)

Request form Open University Australia (OUA)

• Documentation required for Disability Liaison Unit Services - request form (doc)

Please forward the completed form and original copy of the documentation to:

Disability Liaison Unit
Equity & Diversity Centre
Building 55
Monash University 3800
Victoria, Australia

Students who have a Physical Disability

Appropriate Professional: General Physician or Medical Specialist

Documentation should include:

• A clear statement of the diagnosis and a summary of present symptoms.
• A statement indicating whether the disability is permanent, fluctuating, or short-term or if the disability needs to be reassessed after a period of time (eg. every 6 months, yearly).
• Any relevant medical information relating to the impact of the disability on the student's ability to meet academic demands in the university environment.
• Exam Conditions; if the student requires extra writing time, or a rest break then the specific amount of time required must be stated. For example, 10 minutes extra writing time per hour.

Students who have a Neurological Condition

Appropriate Professional: Neurologist, Neuropsychologist, registered Psychologist with clinical designation, Psychiatrist, and General Physician.

Documentation should include:

• A clear statement of the condition, including diagnosis and present symptoms.
• Any relevant medical information relating to the impact of the condition on the student's ability to meet academic demands in the university environment.
• Exam Conditions: If the student requires extra writing time, or a rest break then the specific amount of time required must be stated. For example, 10 minutes extra writing time per hour.

Students who have Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Appropriate Professional: registered Psychologist with clinical designation, Psychiatrist, and General Physician with specialised training.

Documentation should include:

• A clear statement of the condition, including diagnosis and present symptoms
• Any relevant medical information relating to the impact of the condition on the student's ability to meet academic demands in the university environment.
• If a learning disability exists with another disability, and the student requires accommodations for both disabilities, then separate documentation must be provided.
• Exam Conditions: If the student requires extra writing time, or a rest break then the specific amount of time required must be stated. For example, 10 minutes extra writing time per hour.

Students who have a Learning Disability

Learning Disability testing carried out by an Educational Psychologist is required to verify eligibility and support the implementation of reasonable accommodations. The provision of reasonable accommodations is based upon a full assessment of the current impact of the student's disabilities on his/her academic performance. It is in a student's best interest to provide a report to the Disability Liaison Unit that is comprehensive, recent and relates specifically to the student studying in a tertiary environment.  All documentation will be treated as confidential.

An updated report is required every 5 years unless the report has been conducted in adulthood (21years and over ¹). If the person is less than 21 years of age testing carried out during the final years of secondary schooling may be taken into account for providing accommodations in the University setting. In some instances an updated report may be requested in adulthood where there is a change in circumstances i.e. student changes courses or continues studies with a postgraduate degree.

Appropriate Professional Testing must be conducted by a registered Educational Psychologist with training and experience in testing for a learning disability.

What should be included in the Report?

1. Reports must include the name and credentials of the Psychologist, including the date of the testing.
2. Testing must include standardised assessment of current levels of aptitude, achievement and information processing.
3. There must be clear and specific evidence and identification of a learning disability. A significant weakness in at least one area of cognitive processing relative to overall intellectual functioning must also be present. Individual 'learning styles' and 'learning differences' in and of themselves do not constitute a learning disability.
4. Actual test scores and interpretation of these results must be provided.
5. Evidence of comprehensive age-appropriate testing and all test scores.
6. A comprehensive diagnostic interview that includes academic, developmental, family, and psychosocial history.
7. A statement of the strengths and weaknesses that will affect the student's ability to meet academic demands and recommendations relevant to the university environment. Recommendations should be based on objective evidence of limitations in learning and supported by test results. Reports should establish the rationale for any accommodation that is recommended, using test data to document the need. These may comprise use of assistive technology, learning and academic assessment strategies.
8. Exam Conditions; if the student requires extra writing time, or a rest break then the specific amount of time required must be stated, i.e. 10 minutes extra writing time per hour. If a scribe would assist in exams this should also be stated.

While testing and diagnosis by an Irlen System Clinic may provide additional helpful information, it generally does not include a standardised assessment of the three required elements noted in point 2 It is therefore unacceptable as the sole basis for a diagnosis of reading disability.

Note 1: At age 21 it is considered that the student has reached cognitive maturity.

Students who have a Medical Condition

Appropriate Professional: General Physician or Medical Specialist

Documentation should include:

• A clear statement of the diagnosis (optional) and a summary of present symptoms.
• A statement indicating whether the disability is permanent, fluctuating, or short-term or if the disability needs to be reassessed after a period of time (eg. every 6 months, yearly).
• Any relevant medical information relating to the impact of the disability on the student's ability to meet academic demands in the university environment.
• Exam Conditions: If the student requires extra writing time, or a rest break then the specific amount of time required must be stated. For example, 10 minutes extra writing time per hour.