Eligible Disabilities

Disability Verification

Documentation of Disabling Condition

A "student with a disability" is a person enrolled at a community college who has a verified disability, which limits one or more major life activities resulting in an educational limitation.

Determination of Eligibility

The existence of a disability may be verified by one of the following means:

Observation by certificated DSPS staff;
Assessment by certificated DSPS staff; or
Review of documentation by certificated staff provided by appropriate agencies or certified or licensed professionals outside of DSPS.

Medical and Mental Health Disability Verification Form

Acceptable forms of disability documentation may include but not be limited to:

Autism Spectrum Disability can be verified by a certificated DSPS staff member using the documentation from a public or private agency that states the student meets one of the following:
- the student is a client of CVRC and identified as having autism spectrum disorder; or
- the student has documentation from a school psychologist, licensed psychologist, or physician identifying them as having autism spectrum disorder; or
- the student has an IEP or Section 504 Plan or a record of having received accommodations based on having autism spectrum disorder.
Blindness and low vision may be verified by a review of existing documentation from an ophthalmologist, vision care professional, medical facility, physician, physician’s assistant, or nurse practitioner.
Acquired Brain Injury may be verified by review of existing documentation from an appropriate licensed professional such as a physician, neurologist, neuropsychologist, physician’s assistant, or nurse practitioner.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disability can be verified by review of outside documentation by a professional with the appropriate license such as a medical doctor, physician’s assistant, psychologist,or licensed clinical social workers or marriage and family therapist, and/or review by a certificated staff person of documentation such as an IEP, Section 504 Plan, or psychoeducational academic reports.
Deaf and Hard of Hearing may be verified by review of existing documentation from an audiologist, physician, physician’s assistant, or nurse practitioner.
Intellectual Disability (ID) can be verified by a certificated DSPS staff member using the documentation from a referring agency, such as CVRC, school, or other agency.
Learning Disability may be verified through a school IEP or similar documentation, that designates a specific learning disability, and through the interactive process, it is determined that the student meets the Title 5 definition of a learning disability. If you suspect that you have a learning disability, testing may be available.
Mental Health Disability may be verified by:
- review of existing documentation from a licensed psychologist, physician, licensed marriage and family therapist, or clinical social worker identifying the student as having a mental health disability;
- review of records from a public or private agency such as the Department of Mental Health;
- for substance abuse disorders, verification of disability, and proof of participation in a treatment program.
Other disabilities may be verified by existing documentation from a medical facility, physician, physician’s assistant, nurse practitioner, licensed speech professional.
Physical disability may be verified by review of existing documentation from a medical facility, physician, physician’s assistant, or nurse practitioner, chiropractor, etc. The documentation should include the functional limitations in the educational setting which arise from the disability.

Note: Definitions and information have been taken in whole or part from California Education Code Sections 67310-67312, and California Code of Regulations, Title 5, Section 56000 et.seq.

Eligible Disabilities

Acquired Brain Injury: Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) is defined as a deficit in brain functioning which results in a total or partial loss of cognitive, motor, psycho-social and/or sensory-perceptual disabilities, and limits the student’s ability to access the educational process.
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD): Attentional-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is defined as a neurodevelopmental disorder that is a persistent deficit in attention and/or hyperactive and impulsive behavior that limits the student’s ability to access the educational process.
Autism Spectrum: Autism Spectrum disorders are defined as neurodevelopmental disorders described as persistent deficits which limit the student’s ability to access the educational process.
Deaf and Hard of Hearing: Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DHH) is defined as a total or partial loss of hearing function that limits the student’s ability to access the educational process.
Blind and Low Vision: Blindness and low vision is defined as a level of vision that limits the student’s ability to access the educational process.
Intellectual Disability (ID): Intellectual disability is defined as significant limitations both in intellectual functioning and in adaptive behavior that affect and limit the student’s ability to access the educational process.
Learning Disability: Learning disability (LD) is defined as a persistent condition of presumed neurological dysfunction which may exist with other disabling conditions. To be categorized as a student with a learning disability, a student must meet the following criteria through psycho-educational assessment verified by a qualified specialist certified to assess learning disabilities: 1) Average to above-average intellectual ability; and 2) Statistically significant processing deficit(s); and/or Statistically significant aptitude-achievement discrepancies.
Mental Health Disability: Mental Heal Disability is defined as a persistent psychological or psychiatric disability, or emotional or mental illness that limits the student’s ability to access the educational process
Mobility Impairment: Mobility impairment includes, but is not limited to, impairments caused by congenital anomaly, impairments caused by disease and impairments from other causes. Included in this category would be persons who have asthma, cardiovascular problems or lack motor functions necessary to lift or carry items normally used in an academic setting.
Other Disabilities: This category includes other health conditions not falling into other categories, and/or disabilities that affect a major life activity which limit the student’s ability to access the educational process. Examples of “other” disabilities may include, but are not limited to: cardiovascular disease, asthma, diseases of various organ systems (e.g. liver/kidney, etc.), cancer, HIV-AIDS, lupus, Tourette syndrome, seizure disorders, and chronic fatigue.
Physical Disability: Physical disability is defined as a limitation in locomotion or motor functions. These limitations are the result of specific impacts to the body’s muscular-skeletal or nervous systems, and limit the student’s ability to access the educational process. Examples of a physical disability include, but are not limited to, absence of limb or limbs, paraplegia, hemiplegia, or quadriplegia, short stature, polio, Cerebral Palsy, Multiple Sclerosis, Muscular Dystrophy, back and lumbar problems, arthritis, and a wide range of other physical conditions.