Eligibility for Students with Asperger Syndrome
Certain criteria must be met in order for a student with Asperger Syndrome to receive appropriate academic accommodations:
- Students are expected to self-identify and present appropriate documentation to the Disability Resource Center.
- Documentation should come from an appropriately qualified professional such as a psychiatrist, licensed psychologist, clinical social worker, or other mental health professional on campus or in the community. This professional must not be related to the person being evaluated.
- The documentation must be provided on professional letterhead, with the dates of assessment, signatures, and license numbers or credentials of the diagnosing professional.
- The documentation should be current, i.e., within three years of registration with the DRC.
- A diagnosis and corresponding code from the most recent DSM must be included.
- The assessment should document the following:
- Developmental history that includes evidence of Asperger Syndrome symptoms in childhood.
- Absence of clinically significant general delay in early cognitive or language development.
- Current qualitative impairment in social interaction.
- Current restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior, interests, and activities.
- Assessment of broad cognitive ability and language function using standardized assessment measures with age-appropriate norms.
- Medications and their effects on academic functioning.
- Recommendations for academic accommodations and rationale.