> Kwantlen Polytechnic University > Services for Students with Disabilities > Accessing Services > Documentation of Disability

Documentation of Disability

A student with a disability must self-identify and provide Services for Students with Disabilities with appropriate documentation from a specialist in the area of the existing disability, e.g. General Practitioner, Psychiatrist, Neurologist, Audiologist, etc.


Documentation of a disability consists of an evaluation by a professional with specific training, expertise and experience in the area of the disability. The documentation will include a formal diagnosis, and outline the nature and extent of disability.

Contents of Documentation

The documentation must:

A diagnosis alone is insufficient to support a request for academic accommodations. In exceptional circumstances, a student may be offered provisional accommodations up to one semester pending submission of complete documentation.

Format of Documentation

The document should be dated and printed on official letterhead. It should include the medical practitioner’s name, title, phone/fax, mailing and email addresses, and signature. If this is not possible, you can obtain a Verification of Disability form from Services for Students with Disabilities to be completed by the appropriate professional. Documentation will be reviewed for approval by a Learning Specialist on a case by case basis.

Age of Documentation

Documentation must be current. For new students who have a stable condition, usually no more than 3 to 5 years must have elapsed between the time of assessment and the date on which accommodations are requested. For returning students whose condition has remained stable since submission of the original supporting documentations, no further documentation will be required.

Cost of Documentation

In all cases it is the student’s responsibility to cover the costs associated with providing documentation of disability to Services for Students with Disabilities.

Required Documentation

Learning Disabilities require documentation of a current (3-5 years) clinical psycho-educational assessment completed by a registered psychologist or school psychologist with expertise in diagnosing learning disabilities.

Psychiatric Disabilities require current documentation of psychiatric diagnosis from a psychiatrist.

Traumatic Brain Injuries require documentation from a neurophysiologist or neurologist.

Hearing Impairments require documentation from an audiologist.

Vision Impairments require documentation from an ophthalmologist.

Mobility Impairments require documentation from a physician. May need supplemental information from a physiotherapist, occupational therapist or specialist.

Physical Dexterity condition require documentation from a physician and may require
occupational therapist assessments for equipment/technology recommendations.

Attention Deficit Disorders require documentation from a psychiatrist or physician with an ADHD specialty, including diagnosis of attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

If you are unsure of the type or format of the documentation you require please contact a Disability Advisor.