Disability Services 

Academic Support Services are designed to provide equal access to the instructional learning environment for all qualified students with disabilities deemed eligible to receive academic adjustments according to the implementing regulations of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. UC Merced Disability Services (DS) is the sole designated and authorized student support unit that determines a student's eligibility for accommodation services by reason of disability.

Academic Support Services are planned in consultation with the student, faculty and other departmental staff as needed. Due to the fact that accommodation services are planned on a case-by-case basis, students deemed eligible to receive Disability Services must schedule an appointment and meet in person with the Disability Services Coordinator to discuss and properly plan for academic accommodation service delivery. For that reason, Email is not used as a communication mechanism to discuss academic accommodation service provision as it does not adequately facilitate a collaborative and interactive process between the student and appropriate DS staff.

All DS service eligibility requests must begin with an appointment with the Disability Services Coordinator. To be eligible for academic adjustment services, students must provide appropriate documentation according to UC documentation of disability guidelines. Each service must be approved by the Disability Services Coordinator and is generally tailored to the individual need of each student.

Services and programs include: 

Communication Access Services:

Students who are deaf or have hearing impairments can utilize academic support services such as sign language interpreters, remote and real time captioning, assistive listening services to ensure effective communication access and participation in our UC Merced academic and campus programs.

Learning Disabilities

Students with learning disabilities have processing disorders which affect the manner in which they take in information, organize it, retain it and express the knowledge and understanding which they have. Although students with learning disabilities have intellectual abilities comparable to all other students, they may have deficits in reading, spelling, written expression, and/or quantitative reasoning. On an individual basis, students who have a diagnosed learning disability will be provided with those accommodations needed to assure their full participation in the educational programs offered by the university.

Mobility Assistance

Students with disabilities who are in possession of a California Department of Motor Vehicles Disabled Person Parking Plate or Placard and a UC Merced student parking permit are eligible to park in designated areas. Interpreter and Other Services for Hearing Impaired Students In order to have access to classroom information, students who have a hearing limitation have traditionally used sign language interpreters, remote and/or real time captioning, and note-taking services. Students who are hard of hearing may benefit from assistive listening devices and note-takers.

Proctoring Services

A student may need alternative test-taking conditions to accommodate a disability. Examples may include extended time to complete exams, accessible exam formats and transcription service, large print, Braille, or quiet testing areas. Test arrangements are coordinated and facilitated by the DSC and with the student and instructor having individual responsibilities in requesting a specific proctoring session. The alternative testing arrangement allows students to demonstrate their knowledge and ability and does not, in any way, compromise the testing process. Naturally, the content of the exam is not altered.

Notetaking Services

Students with disabilities, such as those with sensory, manual dexterity or auditory processing deficits, may require note-taking assistance to compensate for their specific disability. Note-takers are students enrolled in the same class who receive a stipend from the Disability Services to provide a copy of their notes to an eligible student by a predetermined format, delivery method, day and time.

Transcription Services

Transcription assistance is available to students whose disability-based needs cannot be met by their independent use of voice activated computing. As necessary, the DSC can fund a transcriber for students who need typing for assignments or exams.

Alternative Media Services

Students may need alternative access to print material. Students with specific learning disabilities or visual impairments may need their required reading in alternative formats, such as Braille, audiotape or large print and/or utilize assistive software technologies. Students are required to obtain course text books and reading materials that are already available in alternative formats, such as holdings available from Recording for the Blind and Dyslexic (RFBD) service, Bookshare or commercially available e-Books.

Disability Services works in collaboration with faculty and the student in submitting alternative media format requests to course book publishers. Another alternative method may utilize readers to tape printed materials. In cases where the required reading materials are unavailable from existing publishers and/or alternative media provider sources, Disability Services will make arrangements to reproduce these materials in a format consistent with the student’s identified educational access needs.

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