Not every student with a disability attending UC Berkeley is utilizing DSP services. The decision to connect with DSP is an individual choice for students with disabilities. If a student believes that they will require accommodations to have equal access to participate in their program at Berkeley, they need to take the formal step of applying for accommodations.
Students first apply online to create an account with DSP that will allow our office to keep students’ disability records separate from their academic and other campus records. Students are then asked to submit documentation of disability from an appropriate medical provider confirming both the presence of a disability and the impact of that disability. The student then needs to attend an intake appointment with a Disability Specialist. During this meeting, the student and Disability Specialist will identify any barriers to equal access and participation that the student may encounter based on the impact of their disability and the characteristics of the academic environment in which the student is participating. Accommodations are then determined in order to eliminate or mitigate the barriers that have been identified.
As the impact of students’ disabilities and the nature of the requirements of their academic curriculum may change over time, accommodations may be revisited and revised to ensure that they are still appropriate to provide the student with equal access to their academic experience at UC Berkeley.