Students who are deaf or have hearing impairments can utilize academic support services such as sign language interpreters, remote and real-time captioning, or assistive listening services to ensure effective communication access and participation in UC Merced academic and campus programs.

Students with disabilities who are in possession of a California Department of Motor Vehicles Disabled Person Parking Plate or Placard and a UC Merced student parking permit are eligible to park in designated areas.

A student may need alternative test-taking conditions to accommodate a disability. Examples may include extended time to complete exams, accessible exam formats and transcription service, large print, Braille, or quiet testing areas. Test arrangements are coordinated and facilitated by SAS with the student and instructor having individual responsibilities in requesting a specific proctoring session. The alternative testing arrangement allows students to demonstrate their knowledge and ability and does not, in any way, compromise the testing process. Naturally, the content of the exam is not altered.

Students with disabilities, such as those with sensory, manual dexterity or auditory processing deficits, may require course lecture note-taking assistance to compensate for their specific disability. Course lecture note-takers are students enrolled in the same class and volunteer to provide a copy of their notes to an eligible student. Course lecture note-takers receive a SAS Certificate of Appreciation.

Students looking to receive note takers must fill out this form. It is the student's responsibility to complete this form and email it to access@ucmerced.edu to begin the note taker process.

Transcription assistance is available to students whose disability-based needs cannot be met by their independent use of voice-activated computing. As necessary, SAS can fund a transcriber for students who need typing for assignments or exams.

Students may need alternative access to print material. Students with specific learning disabilities or visual impairments may need their required reading in alternative formats, such as Braille, audiotape or large print and/or utilize assistive software technologies. In order to be in compliance with copyright laws, students are required to provide proof of purchase of textbooks prior to receiving e-texts from publishers or texts in alternate formats. Students are encouraged to purchase course textbooks in alternate formats when they are available from holdings such as Bookshare and/or commercially available e-books.

Student Accessibility Services works in collaboration with faculty and the student in submitting alternative media format requests to course book publishers. In cases where the required reading materials are unavailable from existing publishers and/or alternative media provider sources, Student Accessibility Services will make arrangements to reproduce these materials in a format consistent with the student’s identified educational access needs.