Getting Started
I have a disability and need accommodations. How do I get started?
You can make a request for accommodations online or by accessing and completing a printable version of our Request for Services form. Please provide documentation when making your request. If your clinician is faxing or emailing documentation to the CAE, please note this on your request form.
When should I request accommodations?
Please make requests for services as early as possible in the quarter, as some accommodations require time to arrange prior to their implementation in the classroom.
How does the CAE determine which accommodations I am eligible for?
The CAE reviews your Request for Services form, clinical and/or medical documentation, and any other relevant information you provide in order to determine which accommodations can help mitigate the functional limitations of your disability.
Will I automatically receive services from CAE if I was eligible for services in previous institutions?
All students seeking academic accommodations at UCLA must complete the CAE registration process.
If I have a temporary impairment, can the CAE help me?
If you sustain an injury or have a medical condition that may qualify you as having a disability, you should submit a request for accommodations. Conditions that are minor and temporary (such as a cold or the flu) do not qualify as disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). However, a short-term illness or other impairment may qualify as a disability if it is severe.
Does my CAE registration appear on my transcripts or other university records?
No. All information provided to the CAE is confidential.
Is test anxiety a disability?
Test anxiety is not a disability. Therefore, CAE cannot approve formal accommodations for a student who requests test accommodations solely related to test anxiety.
Utilizing Accommodations
I am already registered with the CAE. Do I have to request the use of my accommodations every quarter?
Yes. Requesting accommodations ensures that your instructors will have access to your accommodations letter. This can be completed following the Request for Accommodations instructions.
How do I notify my professors about my accommodations?
You can notify your professors about your registration with the CAE and academic accommodations via the Student Portal. Via the portal, you can initiate a request for an electronic accommodations letter to be securely available for faculty members to view online. This link will show you how to request an accommodations letter for your instructor.
If I have adjusted deadlines or adjusted attendance requirements as an accommodation, does that exempt me from all of the deadlines or attendance requirements for a course?
Adjusted assignment deadlines and adjusted attendance requirements are handled on a case-by-case basis. Adjusted attendance acknowledges that your disability is unpredictable and episodic in nature and as a result, you may miss class because of its unpredictability. Adjusted attendance and adjusted deadlines as accommodations do not allow you to miss large numbers of class lectures or submit assignments at any time. Ideally, you should be communicating with your CAE Disability Specialist if you are experiencing an increase in symptoms and will miss class or submit an assignment late.
If you will miss an assignment deadline based on an increase in disability-related symptoms, you should (if possible) communicate with the CAE prior to the due date, or as soon as possible thereafter. Your Disability Specialist will consult with faculty in order to discuss a reasonable extension and alternative due date.
If after failing an exam I disclose having a disability to my professor, can I retake the exam?
In general, academic accommodations are not applied retroactively. You are eligible to receive accommodations only when you make your disability status known to the CAE by requesting accommodations and providing supporting medical documentation. If you did not do well on an exam and you are eligible for exam accommodations, those accommodations can be applied to future exams.
What other campus resources are available to me?
Please visit the Student Affairs website for a list of Student Affairs programs and resources.
I believe my rights have been violated on the basis of disability. What should I do?
If you are a student and would like to file a disability-based discrimination grievance, please see UCLA Procedure 230.2: Student Grievances Regarding Violations of Anti-Discrimination Laws or University Policies on Discrimination Based on Disability.
Emergencies
I am not registered with the CAE but need to postpone my exam due to a medical emergency. What should I do?
Contact your professor as soon as possible to discuss an alternate arrangement for your exam. If your medical emergency may require longer term accommodations, you can request accommodations and submit documentation in order to determine if you are eligible for accommodations for future exams.
I am registered with the CAE but I’m not approved for adjusted deadlines. I won’t be able to submit an assignment on time. What should I do?
Contact your CAE Disability Specialist in order to discuss whether or not a modification of your accommodations is necessary, or if the reason for submitting the assignment late is not disability-related. The CAE may not be able to advocate for an adjustment on the current assignment, but if appropriate, your Specialist can discuss accommodations that may be approved for future assignments.
I am registered with the CAE but I’m having issues that aren’t related to my disability and it’s impacting my ability to submit my assignments. What should I do?
Contact your CAE Disability Specialist to discuss other campus resources that might be available to you.
Faculty
Does the CAE disclose my disability status or specific disability to my professors?
No. Your professors are only aware of your classroom accommodations. The CAE does not disclose the nature of a student’s disability or medical condition.
Can I make arrangements directly with my professors regarding deadline extensions?
If you are not registered with the CAE, please feel free to work directly with your professors. If you are approved for the adjusted deadlines accommodation, please refer to the Adjusted Deadlines process. Students should not be negotiating accommodations directly with professors.
How does my professor learn about my accommodations?
Your professor is made aware of your accommodations via the Faculty Portal. After you request that they view your Letter of Accommodation, your professor will receive an email asking them to log into the portal to view your letter.
Exams
How do I schedule my exams with CAE?
Go to the Student Portal on the top left hand corner of the CAE website. There you will release your Accommodation Letters to your professors and then you will be able to “Book a test”. On the CAE website you will be able to view tutorials on how to request an Accommodation Letter and how to Book A Test.
How can I check what exams I have scheduled and where they will be proctored?
Go to the Student Portal on the CAE website. Click on “My Schedule”. You will see the exams that you scheduled, and your exam location. Always go directly to the location listed. Do not come to the CAE Testing Center first.
How far in advance do I need to book my exams?
We request that students book their exams 14 days in advance. We strongly suggest that you book any exams or quizzes that you will need proctoring, at the beginning of the quarter. Do not wait to book your tests.
What if I miss the 14 day advance notice?
Please come to the CAE Testing Center during our walk-in hours of Monday – Thursday, 11am – 1pm, and we will check the schedule for availability.
Will CAE supply my scantron and blue books?
CAE will supply OID scantrons only. We will not supply Blue Books. Students should arrive to the testing location with everything they will need to complete their exams.
Housing
As an undergraduate, I am not guaranteed housing for the next academic year. Can the CAE help me get University housing because I have a disability/medical condition?
The CAE assesses requests for housing accommodations within University-owned housing for students who 1) will have guaranteed housing for the point in time they are making a housing accommodation request or 2) have been offered an assignment through the via the housing lottery. If a student does not meet either of the aforementioned criteria, the CAE still requires that students seek and obtain housing the way any other student would through the UCLA Housing Lottery. For further information, please review the Housing Accommodation Handbook.
I am a housing lottery applicant, but I believe that my disability requires me to live in university housing. Is the CAE able to help me secure that?
The lottery process is a housing policy that all non-guaranteed students, including those with disabilities, have to apply through if they are seeking University Housing. All students have equal access to request housing through the lottery system. Having a disability does not automatically mean that the lottery process should be modified to guarantee an individual University housing. The CAE does, however, recognize the importance of providing reasonable accommodations and modifications in its housing polices, practices, and services where necessary for individuals with disabilities. On a case-by-case basis, under limited circumstances, the Housing Accommodations Board will review requests for a modification to the Housing Lottery process as an accommodation.
Notetaking
I’m approved for Peer Notetaking but a Notetaker has yet to be assigned to my course. What should I do?
A Peer Notetaker is a student in your course that volunteers to share their own notes with a CAE student as a reasonable accommodation. The CAE is continuously working towards identifying Notetaker for courses that have been requested. However, the CAE wants to do its best to provide you with an effective service.
If no Notetaker has been assigned, you must do the following:
i. Call or e-mail your CAE Disability Specialist requesting that you be switched from peer notetaking, on an interim basis or permanently, to a different notetaking service. You can review those services ahead of time through Technology-Assisted Notetaking Options document on the CAE accommodations page.
ii. Your CAE Disability Specialist will prioritize your request and discuss if Livescribe, Otter, or Sonocent, is appropriate for you.
- In the e-mail subject line, you can write: “Switch Notetaking Service”
- In the body of the e-mail, you can write: “I am requesting to switch from Peer Notetaking to ____________."
If you would like to remain with Peer Notetaking as the accommodation, the CAE will continue to work towards assigning one for your course. In the interim, you must contact your CAE Disability Specialist to assign a temporary notetaking accommodation, as listed above, and continue to check your student portal for any available notes.
What are my options if a Notetaker is not identified in the time I would prefer?
The CAE wants to ensure that you have access to other available means by which to take notes. The CAE offers technology-assisted notetaking options in the form of: Livescribe, Otter, and Sonocent. Students must contact their CAE Disability Specialist to discuss other methods of effective notetaking support and switch their service permanently, or, for the interim.