AD/HD is a disorder with which there is a persistent pattern of inattention and/or hyperactivity/impulsivity that is more prominent and severe than is typically seen in individuals at a comparable level of development.
Student Accessibility Services recognizes that previous evaluation by a paediatrician may be accepted by as evidence of the existence of the disorder since childhood, but may be questioned as the sole indicator of adult ADHD. Students with ADHD who request accommodations and support at the post-secondary level must provide a current assessment report to support those requests.
Documentation of AD/HD must:
- be based on the current version of the DSM and come from a psychologist (C. Psych.), a psychiatrist (M.D.), or a physician (M.D.) with appropriate training in neuropsychological disorders
- demonstrate the presence of hyperactive-impulsive or inattentive symptoms that cause impairment
- include an investigation of a family history of ADHD and other educational, learning, physical, or psychological difficulties deemed relevant by the examiner
- make recommendations and, includes a rationale for, recommended academic accommodations
- SAS' Documentation of AD/HD Form may be used and, upon review, Advisors will make students aware should any further documentation be required
A note about identification and diagnosis
Some students with an attention-deficit disorder are identified as "exceptional students" by an Identification, Placement and Review Committee (IPRC) in the elementary or high school system. An Individual Education Plan (IEP) may have been developed as the result. The identification as an exceptional student and/or an IEP is not the same as a diagnosis of a permanent disability.
In the elementary and secondary system, specific legislation allows for the accommodation of students with an "identification" without the need for a formal diagnosis. The identification may have been included on the IEP in the area of "learning disability". This designation is not the same as a diagnosis of a learning disability, nor is an attention-deficit disorder considered to be a learning disability.
At the post-secondary level legislation requires that students be formally diagnosed as having a disability. For students with attention-deficit disorders this is done through a psycho-educational assessment by a psychologist or psychological associate.
A prior history of accommodation in high school does not, in and of itself, warrant the provision of similar accommodations in a university setting. The assessment report must demonstrate reasonable evidence that the accommodations requested are required given the nature of the disability. In order for you to be eligible for academic accommodations you must provide us with a comprehensive assessment report that contains the clinical diagnosis of a disability to support your requests.