Register for Services

How To Register For Disability Services For Students

The Disability Services for Students office (DSS) welcomes Sonoma State University students who are interested in receiving accommodation services related to their disability. All SSU students new to DSS (freshmen, transfer, and continuing students) who are seeking services through DSS are responsible for completing the following 3 steps before their academic accommodations may be provided.

A DSS Advisor will respond to the student within 7-10 business days after receiving each document submitted to the office. Students please check your SSU email for correspondence from the DSS office.

Step 1: Complete Student Information Form

• Complete and submit the online DSS Student Information Form.

Step 2: Provide Documentation

• Provide supporting documentation on your disability, which is prepared by an appropriate professional and identifies the functional limitations associated with your disability
  • Please Note: An I.E.P. or 504 Plan may supplement accepted documentation (e.g. a current psycho-educational assessment), but an IEP or 504 Plan generally is not sufficient by itself to document a disability.
• Submit documentation using any of the following methods:
  • Mail: 
    Disability Services for Students
    1801 E. Cotati Avenue, Schulz 1014A
    Rohnert Park, CA 94928
  • In-person: Stop by Schulz 1014A during office hours
  • Fax: (707) 664-3330

Important Note: Email is not recommended due to the confidential nature of the information. 

Purpose of documentation

• To verify eligibility for accommodations;
• To determine that the level of accommodations provided is appropriate to the nature and extent of the disability and its functional impact in the educational setting.

Documentation Necessary to Determine Eligibility for DSS Services

• Students should be prepared to provide the following preferred disability-related documentation to DSS in order to determine eligibility for accommodation services.
• If the documents listed below are not available to you, then please submit whatever documentation you have along with your Student Information form. You will be provided guidance on whether additional documentation will be necessary
• DSS follows the Association for Higher Education for Disability (AHEAD) Professional Association’s Guidelines on Documentation Practices.

Additional Diagnosis-specific Requirements 

Autism Spectrum Disorder

• Please have your psychiatrist, psychologist, or other health professional complete the Psychological/Neurological Disability verification form, and/or submit records of a psycho-educational assessment which includes the ASD diagnosis.

Legal Blindness or Visual Impairment

• Please provide a copy of your most recent eye examination results from an ophthalmologist or optometrist verifying your legal blindness or other visual impairment. In general, this refers to a central visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye with the best possible correction, and/or a visual field of 20 degrees or less.
• You still may be eligible for services if you do not meet this requirement, but have a visual impairment that significantly impacts your academic performance.

Deafness or Hard of Hearing

• A copy of an audiogram, administered within the last two years by your physician or audiologist verifying the extent of your hearing loss.
• Relevant policy/practice: Interpreting and/or Real-time Captioning Services for Students who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing Interpreting and Captioning guidelines.

Learning Disabilities and Attention Deficit Disorder

• For learning disabilities, please provide a copy of a psychoeducational assessment performed by a qualified professional.
• Relevant policy/practice: The comprehensive assessment should meet the criteria outlined in the CSU Learning Disability Guidelines.
• For Attention Deficit Disorder, please have a psychiatrist or other qualified professional fill out the Attention Deficit Disorder/Hyperactivity Disorder Verification form.
• It is helpful to also include a copy of a psychoeducational assessment if this is available to help determine appropriate accommodations based on one’s functional limitations.

Psychological Disabilities

• Please have your psychiatrist, psychologist, or other qualified mental health professional complete the Certification of Psychological/Psychiatric/Neurological Disabilities form

Mobility Impairment, Speech Impairment, Acquired Brain Injury, Chronic Illness, or Other Disabilities

• Please have your physician or other appropriate professional complete the Medical Verification Form.

• All relevant questions should be answered or the submission may be considered incomplete.

Step 3: Schedule an “Intake Appointment”

• Meet 1:1 with a DSS Advisor to determine appropriate accommodations. DSS considers factors such as the documentation from professionals specializing in the area of the student’s diagnosed disability, the student’s identified functional limitations, and the student’s input and accommodation history in regard to particular needs and limitations.
• Schedule an “Intake Appointment” to register for services by calling (dial 711 for Relay)  or visiting our office in Schulz 1014A.