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Services for Students with Disabilities

Current SSD Students

The office of Services for Students with Disabilities is a resource for students to request academic accommodations. Fresno State is committed to accessibility to all individuals to promote inclusion and diversity.

mySSD Student Portal Login

mySSD Student Portal:  Requesting Your Accommodations and Services

  • Accessed through Single Sign on (SSO), using your Fresno State username and password.
  • The link can also be found under Other Resources, through the CANVAS Help Icon. 

Communication Access Custom Requests

Students: To request Sign Language Interpreters or Captioners for an event/meeting, log into your mySSD Student Portal and click on 'Communication Access’ in the ‘My Accommodations' sidebar. On this page you can submit a request by clicking 'Custom Request' on the right hand side of the page. Complete the form by providing details of the event such as: event name, date, time, location, etc. 

Campus Community: Use the link on SSD Home Page to complete a Custom Request.  You will be asked to provide details of the event such as: event name, date, time, location, etc. 

 

Alternative Formats Tab

If you receive Alternative Formats as an accommodation and have already submitted your Faculty Notification request, you will also need to submit requests for Alternate Formats. Once you are logged into your mySSD Student Portal, select ‘Alternative Formats’  in the ‘My Accommodations' sidebar.  Here you will be provided with a list of your courses. Please select the textbook you will be purchasing for the course(s).

Alternative Testing Tab

If you receive Alternative Testing as an accommodation and have already submitted your Faculty Notification request, you will also need to submit requests to take your exams/quizzes.  Once you are logged into your mySSD Student Portal, select ‘Alternative testing’ in the ‘My Accommodations' sidebar.  Select the course from the drop down menu, then click ‘Schedule an Exam.” Please add the details of the exam/quiz. Once this is complete, select “Add Exam Request”. Please be sure to complete this process at least 5 business days in advance of a regular exam/quiz, and 7 business days in advance of a final exam. 

Canvas Login

To access the mySSD Student Portal through Canvas, login to Canvas.  On the left hand side of the screen or the visible menu (on mobile devices), select the “HELP” button, then scroll down to the last link under “Other Resources”.  This last link should be the “mySSD Student Portal”. 

Notetaking Services Accommodations Overview

If you receive Notetaking Services as an accommodation and have already submitted your Faculty Notification request, you will also need to confirm your need for a notetaker.  Once you are logged into your mySSD Student Portal, select ‘Notetaking Services’ in the ‘My Accommodations' sidebar.  If available, select “Confirm Now” next to the title of your classes.  This notifies SSD that you are still in need of a volunteer notetaker for this class.  Once you have “confirmed” the need, you will either see a box that will direct you to click to download your notes, or you will see a paragraph that states other resources while we wait for a volunteer. 

mySSD Eligibility

"My Eligibility" tab (mySSD Student Portal) will list all of the general and specific accommodations (eligibilities) that have been determined through the interactive process with the Access Specialist (AS) and the student.  The general terminology is listed when students are requesting their accommodations (faculty notification). 

Please Note: If additional accommodations are needed, please contact the SSD office to schedule an appointment with the student's Access Specialist (AS) to review the request.  Certain requests may require additional documentation for approval.

Requesting Accommodations

The List Accomodations tab refers to the process of requesting for Faculty Notifications.  List Accommodations requests can be submitted through the mySSD Student Portal.

  1. Once Logged-In, the student dashboard will be viewable. Please Note: Every semester, the student will be asked to review the guidelines and procedures for every accommodation utilized.
  2. Under "Select Accommodations for your Class", the student will select the courses they would like accommodations for.
  3. Once the student selects the boxes for the Term/Session, select "Step 2 - Continue to Customize Your Accommodations".
    Under each course, the student will select the accommodations you would like to request. If the student is taking more than one class, please make sure to check the boxes in each class.
  4. Select "Submit Your Accommodation Requests" to complete the process. That’s it!  You are done! 

  • Requesting Faculty Notification letters from the office of Services for Students with Disabilities in advance of the need for accommodations.
  • Engage in the interactive process with your Access Specialist. Keep them informed if there are an issues or concerns.
  • Behaving appropriately as outlined in the campus Code of Excellence for students.
  • Complying with all guidelines and timelines designated by the faculty, staff, and administrators unless verified extenuating circumstances occur.

The campus offers a wide variety of services and resources to support students and promote academic success.  Some of the resources include, student health and counsling, tutoring, academic support skills, career development, and academic advising.  To learn more about the campus resources please visit the Division of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management Student Resources website.

Other On-Campus Resources

  • Workability IV - Workability IV is an Employment Agency that is designed to assist individuals with disabilities. 

Off-Campus Resources

  • Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services - DHHSC is a non-profit organization in Central California dedicated to serving Deaf, Hard of Hearing, Deaf Blind, and Late Deafened individuals and their families. 
  • Department of Rehabilitation - DOR provides services and advocacy resulting in employment, independent living, and equality for individuals with disabilities.
  • Handy Ride - FAX Handy Ride is a service designed to meet the transportation needs of eligible persons with disabilities who cannot functionally use the FAX City bus system.
  • Resources for Independence Central Valley - RICV is a hub for independent living services, and disability resources to residents of Fresno, Madera, Kings, and Tulare counties. 
  • Valley Center for the Blind - VCB is a non-profit organization in the Central Valley pursuing outstanding training and necessary education for persons who are blind and visually impaired.

The office of Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) offers a complaint resolution process that can be initiated by an informal or formal process as described below. Please contact the SSD office by email at ssdstaff@mail.fresnostate.edu or by phone at 559-278-2811 for more information.


INFORMAL

Experience has proven that a majority of complaints can be effectively resolved through an informal process. To begin an informal process, submit the Complaint Resolution form to your Access Specialist (AS) to determine how to best resolve the disagreement with policies, practices or individuals. (In the event that your complaint is about your AS, please submit the complaint resolution form directly to the SSD director). Resolutions through preventive intervention rather than formal complaints can, in most cases, result in a positive outcome.

To access SSD's Complaint Resolution Form, please visit SSD's, Forms Page. An SSD staff member will contact you within five (5) working days.

FORMAL

If a student is not satisfied with previous decisions or feels they have been subjected to unlawful discrimination on the basis of disability, they may want to pursue a grievance in accordance with the Executive Order 1097 with the Fresno State Discrimination, Harassment, Retaliation (DHR) Designee.  Students wishing to file a formal complaint can fill out the DHR Complaint Form.

Any student has the right to file a complaint with the Office of Civil Rights of the U.S. Department ofEducation. The office will investigate and issue a Letter of Findings either supporting the student or the institution. To file a complaint with the Office of Civil Rights, please contact:

U.S. Department of Education
Office for Civil Rights
50 Beale Suite 7200
San Francisco, CA 94105
Telephone: (415) 486-5555
Fax: (415) 486-5570
Email: OCR.SanFrancisco@ed.gov
Web: http://www.ed.gov/ocr/

Retaliation against any persons filing a complaint is prohibited under state and federal law.

ACCOMMODATION RECONSIDERATION PROCESS

Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) strives to provide equitable access and reasonable services to qualified students with disabilities.

Students who have been denied their requested accommodation(s) may request reconsideration of the decision by contacting the SSD director, Jennie Johnson, at jeanjohnson@csufresno.edu. Students may be asked to provide additional information and documentation that supports their request.

The SSD director will evaluate the matter and make appropriate recommendations within five (5) working days of receiving the email.

In the event the student disagrees with the director's decision, the student may pursue an additional reconsideration process through the Associate Vice President of Student Affairs and Dean of Students, Terree Stevenson. An appointment can be made with Dean Stevenson by calling 559-278-8740.