According to legal standards, the written report for documentation must be very thorough in order to secure accommodations under federal guidelines for the Americans with Disabilities Act. Even if a student is diagnosed with a disability, accommodations cannot be granted without proper documentation. The evaluation must describe a substantial limitation compared to the average person in the general population. The evaluator must show that the substantial limitations pertain directly to the accommodations or services requested.
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1. A qualified professional must provide the diagnosis. Documentation must include the following information about the service provider:
   
   1. Name
   2. Title
   3. Professional credentials
   4. Area of specialization
       
2. Documentation must be submitted on the official letterhead of the service provider describing the disability. 
    
3. Documentation must include a specific diagnosis and date of diagnosis.
   ​Examples of documentation that could be included:
   1. Diagnosis, date of diagnosis and last contact with the student
   2. Description of symptoms which meet the criteria for the diagnosis
   3. A list of current medication(s), dosage, frequency, and adverse side effects
   4. How the disability affects the student physically
   5. Diagnostic testing that indicates diagnosis
       
4. Documentation must include an interpretative summary or letter:
   
   1. Satisfactorily verifies the extent and/or impact the disability has on the individual;
   2. Specific recommendations for accommodations;
   3. Indication of how specific accommodations would mediate symptoms