Temporary Medical Conditions

Documentation for Temporary Medical Conditions

Students with temporary injuries (such as broken bones, pregnancy, or recovery from surgery) are not eligible for formal accommodations but may benefit from services coordinated by the Office of Accessibility Services (OAS). These services may include extra time for exams, a scribe, or note-taking assistance.

To seek academic assistance, students with such injuries must provide supportive documentation to OAS and schedule an appointment with the Accessibility Services Coordinator. The necessary information to include in the documentation is outlined below. Individual faculty members have the discretion to make allowances for missed classes and/or fulfilling course requirements (such as exams, presentations, and participation) due to temporary injuries or illnesses.

Accommodations for temporary disabilities are approved for a limited time, not to exceed one semester. Updated documentation is required for services to be continued beyond the initial approval period. Students approved for accommodations due to a temporary disability will receive a letter from OAS listing the approved accommodations. It is the student’s responsibility to present this letter to each instructor and discuss how these accommodations will be implemented.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact OAS by phone at 225-743-8526 or by email at [email protected].

Evaluator Qualifications

Documentation must be provided by a qualified professional, generally a physician; however, depending upon the nature of the temporary medical condition, other medical professionals may be considered qualified.

Documentation Requirements

Documentation must:

1. Contain a clear statement of the medical diagnosis of the orthopedic/mobility disability or systemic illness;
2. Discuss the current impact of the physical disability or systemic illness on the student’s functioning;
3. Include a summary of assessment procedures and evaluation instruments used to make the diagnosis, including evaluation results and standardized scores, if applicable;
4. Provide a description of present symptoms that meet the criteria for diagnosis;
5. Consists of medical information relating to the student’s needs to include the impact of medication on the student’s ability to meet the demands of the postsecondary environment;
6. Describe functional limitations and symptoms caused by the disability as they pertain to the academic environment in which the student is requesting accommodations, and the accommodation as it relates to the functional impact or limitations of the disability on learning or other major life activities.

Reasonable accommodations are determined based on the nature of the medical condition.