First, we must determine whether or not you are eligible to receive accommodations and services (see below). In order for your status to be reviewed by a Disability Access Advisor, you must fill out the Application for Services Form AND provide supporting documentation from a regulated health practitioner who is qualified to verify your disability. There are specific Verification forms for different disabilities and you must submit the correct form for the type of disability for which you are requesting services. All details are available in the Documentation section of the CAL website.

If you are a new registrant with the CAL, contact us as soon as possible before the start of classes to schedule an intake appointment with a Disability Access Advisor. Before you arrive, you may wish to read about Meeting with a Disability Access Advisor for tips on what to expect during your appointment and some important questions you may want to ask.  The process of registering with the CAL for accommodations in a given term must be completed by the end of Week 10.  This ensures that there is reasonable time for instructors to review and provide feedback about accommodations, and for the CAL to make the necessary arrangements leading up to the final exam period. 

As entitlement to accommodations is based not only on the student's disability, but also on the specific challenges encountered in a particular course of study, students are required to meet with a Disability Access Advisor at the beginning of each term to review the status of their disability and their current courseload. In most cases, it is recommended that the continuing student meet with the Disability Access Advisor after attending at least the first session of each course.  In this way, the student will be aware of the specific demands of the courses, which will be considered in determining what accommodations to provide.  If you are a student whose accommodations require advance planning (e.g., a student who requires an interpreter in class or reading materials in an alternate format) then it is essential that you meet early with the Disability Access Advisor so that there is adequate time to arrange these accommodations.

Eligibility to Receive Accommodations and Services

CAL services are available to students with a range of physical, psychological, neurological, and chronic and temporary medical disabilities. According to the SFU Access Policy for Students with Disabilities, a student with a disability is a person who:

• Has been diagnosed by an appropriate professional as having: a psychiatric impairment; physical impairment; neurological impairment; learning disorder; or sensory impairment, any/all of which may be permanent or temporary and is likely to continue and may significantly interfere with educational pursuits; and
• Experiences functional restrictions or limitations in their ability to perform the range of life's activities; and
• May experience attitudinal and/or environmental barriers that hamper their full and self-directed participation in life.

In order to be considered for accommodation, the impairments associated with the diagnosed disability must result in a significant limitation in your ability to access the educational experience. For a list of descriptions of specific disabilities, please view our Definitions.