Policies for Requesting Academic Accomodations
Northwest Nazarene University offers reasonable accommodations to all qualified students in accordance with the provisions of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Those students with learning or psychological disabilities who require accommodations are encouraged to make an appointment in a timely manner with the Advisor to Students with Learning Disabilities in the Academic Support Center. Any information provided by the student in order to receive accommodation services will be kept confidential according to State and Federal laws and will be used for the benefit of the student in identifying and securing accommodations and services needed to support his or her full participation at NNU. These accommodations and services must be in keeping with the academic integrity of each course.
Students requesting accommodations and services because of a learning disability must follow the procedures listed below.
1) Make an appointment with the Advisor to Students with Learning Disabilities
to discuss your goals, disabilities, and needs.
2) Provide documentation verifying your disability. The following information
should be included:
a) Statement of the diagnosis
b) Current impact of the disability on functioning (preferably within the last
three years)
c) Name and qualifications of the evaluator
d) Summary of the instruments and procedures used for the cognitive areas
of aptitude testing, achievement testing, or information processing
e) Past and present symptoms
f) Medical history of relevant medications and their effect on the student
g) Statement of the student’s academic performance
f) Recommendation for, or statement of, academic adjustments needed
Prior testing and evaluation must be comprehensive and must identify the student’s most accurate and efficient processing modalities. To establish that an individual is covered under the law, current and comprehensive documentation must indicate that a specific disability exists and that the identified disability substantially limits one or more major life activities. According to federal mandates, disabilities include health impairments, learning disabilities, physical limitations, and/or psychiatric disorders. A diagnosis of a disorder in and of itself does not automatically qualify an individual for accommodations; the documentation must also support the request for accommodations. In some cases, neuropsychological or psychoeducational testing may be required in addition to or in lieu of this form. Please note, documentation should not be provided by a clinician who is also a relative of the student.
The tests most frequently administered are listed below.
1. Aptitude or Ability Tests
a) Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-III
b) Woodcock-Johnson III - Psycho-Educational Battery-Revised Tests of
Cognitive Ability
c) Detroit Test of Learning Aptitude-Adult (DTLA)
d) Halsted-Reitan Neuropsychological Battery for Adults
e) Stanford-Binet Intelligence Test V
2. Academic Achievement
a) Woodcock-Johnson Psycho-Educational Battery Tests of Achievement-
Revised (WJ-III)
b) Adult Basic Learning Examination (ABLE)
c) Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement II
d) Peabody Individual Achievement Tests (PIAT)
e) Scholastic Ability Tests for Adults
f) Stanford Test of Academic Skills (TASK)
g) Tests of Adult Basic Education (TABE)
3. Information Processing Tests of Skills and Leaning Patterns
a) Detroit Tests of Learning Aptitude-Adult (DTLA)
b) Goldman-Fristoe-Woodcock Auditory Tests
c) Reitan Aphasia Screening Test
I will be asking the following questions about the documentation presented to me for the disability:
1. Does the documentation clearly state the diagnosed disability?
2. Does the documentation include complete educational, developmental,
and medical history?
3. Does the documentation describe the functional limitations resulting
from the disability and how these limitations impact academics?
4. Does the evaluator appear qualified to make the diagnosis?
5. Is the documentation current?
6. Does the documentation include a list of all test instruments used in the
evaluation report including relevant test scores used to state the disability?
7. Does the documentation identify with accommodations/academic support was
used in high school and/or college?
8. Does the documentation state why the applicant is qualified for either test
accommodations or accommodations at the college level?
Please submit documentation to:
Professor Barbara Howard
Advisor to Students with Learning Disabilities
Northwest Nazarene University
623 Holly Street
Nampa, ID 83686
(208) 467-8669