Faculty FAQ

1. I recieved a Letter of Accomodation for a student in my classroom, which I do not agree with or have questions about. Who do I contact?

You should immediately contact the Disability Specialist that is named in the LOA. You should contact them no later than 72 hours after receipt of the LOA. Do not argue with the student about accomodations. 

2. A student has complained to DAC and I am being investigated. What does the process look like for a disability discrimination investigation? 

Please see this flowchart for a complete explanation of our disability investigation process. Please keep in mind that our process is neutral, and we are mandated to investigate and determine if UCOP or UC Berkeley policies have been violated. We are happy to answer any questions you have about the process. 

3. Where can I go to get support to ensure my documents, presentations, and remote teaching are accessible? 

There are two recommendations we would make:

a. Take the training entitled: Disability, Accomodations, and Access in the UC Classroom.  

b. Review the information and services available at the UC Center for Teaching and Learning. Of particular interest might be their guidance on best practices for Remote Teaching

4. How come the number of disabled students has gone up so much in the last few years?

The number of disabled students at Berkeley has increased signficantly in the last decade. This is because the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (enacted in the 1990s and amended in the early 2000s) has created greater opportunities for disabled children to access education and thrive K-12. Moreover, the ADA itself was amended in 2010 to provide protection at the tertiary educational level for people with a broader array of disabilities. We refer to children born after the ADA was passed, and educated under the IDEA, the ADA Generation. It is this generation that we have been seeing maticulate into higher education over the last 10 years. 

5. I would like to hold an event on campus. How do I ensure it is accessible? 

Holding an accessible event is very doable! Please refer to our accessible event page for thorough information, and contact us if you have any questions. 

6. Does DSP decide what faculty are required to do to comply with the ADA? 

No. The ADA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and their related regulations and guidelines, lay out the responsibilities of public institutions like UC Berkeley towards disabled students. DSP is the program UC Berkeley established to take on much of that which is required work related to student accomodation. This includes: recieving medical information from students to prove disability; interviewing students regarding their accomodation needs; determine what accomodations are reasonable; provide LOAs to faculty, allowing faculty an opportunity to raise defenses, such as fundamental alteration; and facilitate provision of auxilary services such as notetaking, captioning, ASL, and alternative proctoring.  

7. Can I have an assistant to help with my work as a reasonable accommodation?

An assistant might be considered a reasonable accommodation if their services would let you do the essential duties of a job that may be difficult due to a disability. Read more about reasonable accomdations from Disability Benefits 101. [External link]