Supporting Accommodation Requests: Guidance on Documentation Practices

The Association on Higher Education And Disability (AHEAD) presents this conceptual framework to support appropriate practices in providing seamless access through equal treatment and the provision of accommodations. This revised guidance is necessitated by changes in society’s understanding of disability, the 2008 amendments to the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the updated regulations and guidance to Titles II and III of the ADA. Although the amendments and regulatory revisions occurred through separate federal processes, together they reflect a more mature understanding of disability that is essential for fostering a positive campus perspective on disability. The concepts described in this document are interrelated components of a comprehensive, professional approach to using disability documentation to make informed decisions. This framework is consistent with the letter and spirit of the law, reflective of legal and judicial thinking , and responsive to scholarly understandings of disability and its role in higher education and society. This document supersedes AHEAD’s previous guidance on this topic.