Supporting Appropriate Medical / Psychological Documentation

Supporting Appropriate Medical / Psychological Documentation

Supporting appropriate medical/psychological documentation is required by the UP Disability & Reasonable Accommodation Panel when reviewing academic accommodations particularly for test and examination situations. Whilst health professionals may submit recommendations regarding academic accommodations, the Panel who is familiar with the educational environment at UP determine the extent to which the recommended academic accommodations are appropriate in this context. Thus, the recommendations by the health professional are helpful but not binding. Should there be insufficient diagnostic or clinical information in support of the requested academic accommodations; students may be asked to submit new and/or additional documentation.

No psychological condition that is being treated effectively with medication and/or psychotherapy and/or any other procedure may be used as motivation for a concession of extra writing time during tests and examinations. However, should the treatment appear to be unsuccessful, the practitioner (e.g. the psychiatrist) should indicate in writing why the programme is not effective, which alternatives are being considered, and why extra writing time during tests and examinations should be provided as a compensatory measure.

In the case where a psychiatric diagnosis alone is offered as motivation for an application for extra writing time during tests and examinations, the application must be accompanied by a recent psychiatric report, in which it is indicated why extra writing time is required as a concession, how the condition is related to the action of writing a test or examination, as well as what period should be considered for the concession.

In addition, a concession that was granted in the past does not imply an automatic extension of it to the tertiary level.

If concession support is required for a Specific Learning Disorder, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder or any other Psychiatric Disorder there is a specific assessment battery that is required. Kindly contact [email protected] for further information thereof.