Reasonable accommodations are determined through an interactive process between the CAE, the student, and instructional staff. It is axiomatic that reasonable accommodations must be disability-based. The academic adjustments and/or auxiliary aids, and/or modification or adjustment to practices, procedures, or policies are so that a qualified student with a disability receives equal access to a course, program, service, or activity.
Accommodations can be:
- Changes to a classroom environment or task that permit a student with a disability to participate in the educational process,
- Reasonable modifications to policies, practices or procedures that enable the student to participate in UCLA’s programs, including admissions, academics, online and distance education courses, and housing.
What is an accommodation?
An accommodation is a legally mandated modification or service designed to mitigate the functional limitations associated with a student's disability. Accommodations can be:
- Changes to a classroom environment or task that permit a student with a disability to participate in the educational process,
- Reasonable modifications to policies, practices or procedures, etc.
Reasonable accommodations are determined through an interactive process between the CAE, the student, and instructional staff. The student’s accommodation request must be linked to the functional limitations described in the medical documentation.
What types of accommodations are often considered “unreasonable”?
- Accommodations that would fundamentally alter the nature of a program.
- Accommodations which lower or substantially modify academic or program standards.
- Accommodations that would impose undue financial or administrative burden.
- Accommodations that would pose an appreciable threat to personal or public safety.
How do I notify my professors about my accommodations?
Please follow these 2 steps:
1. To use your accommodations, you will need to complete the following steps through the CAE Student Portal. Please follow instructions from this YouTube video to request that CAE send a letter to the Faculty Portal which tells your instructors what accommodations you have. This letter only informs your instructors that you are a student in their class who is registered with CAE and has approved accommodations. A few reminders about your accommodation letters:
-
Once requested, you will either see that your accommodation letter status says “Sent” or “Confirmed.” Your instructors may view the letter, but not confirm it, as these are two separate steps. The letter does not need to be “confirmed” for your accommodations to be active. If you have concerns about receiving your accommodations, you can send your instructor an email to confirm, and copy your CAE Disability Specialist on the email.
-
Request your letters early in the quarter! We recommend during week 1 or 2 of the quarter. You will complete this step at beginning of each quarter that you want to use your accommodations.
2. After you complete step #1, please also email the following to your instructors and copy your CAE Disability Specialist:
“Dear Instructor, I am registered with the Center for Accessible Education (CAE) and recently submitted a request to make my CAE accommodation letter available to you. You can view my accommodation letter in the Faculty Portal. After clicking on “View Letter,” please complete steps #1 and #2: review the accommodation letter, and confirm receipt of the accommodation letter.
If you have any questions about my accommodations, you can follow up with my CAE Disability Specialist, who is copied on this email. Thank you."
Other Ways CAE Can Support Me
CAE can support students in a variety of ways outside of the accommodation categories listed above. Students who feel their needs are not met by any of the options listed above should set up an appointment with their Disability Specialist, connect with a Specialist during their open drop-in hours, or reach out to the office at caeintake@saonet.ucla.edu.
CAE can also assist students and campus community members in a variety of ways through the following supports. Reasonable accommodations for co-curricular activities will be determined with students on an individualized basis.
- Accommodations related to student organization events and/or co-curricular activities
- Accommodations related to clinicals, fieldwork, or external placements that are credit-baring
- Accommodations related to Community Engagement sites connected to seminars through the UCLA Center for Community Engagement