CODE’s DSP Guide

This page provides a student-written guide to the UCSB Disabled Students Program!

Overview of DSP

The UCSB Disabled Students Program, or DSP, exists to provide students with academic accommodations regarding their disabilities. Students can apply through their website and typically correspond with doctors, psychiatrists, social workers, and DSP specialists to coordinate their accommodations. Various disabilities are recognized and accommodated through DSP services — students with physical disabilities, cognitive/learning disabilities, neurodivergence-related disabilities, mental illnesses, and other disabilities can all contact DSP in order to receive academic accommodations. 

The accommodations provided fall into several categories: Reading Services, Peer Notetaking Services, Dictation and Transcription Services, Test-taking Accommodations, Deaf and Hard of Hearing Services, and Course Design Accommodations. In particular, Course Design Accommodations are available upon request and typically take the form of DSP requesting consideration of special circumstances.

Outside of DSP, other disability-related accommodations and services also exist. The Special Housing Accommodations Request form allows students to inform the UCSB Housing, Dining, and Auxiliary Enterprises department of their disability-based needs for housing. The form is only available upon request by emailing housinginfo@housing.ucsb.edu or calling the Housing, Dining, and Auxiliary Enterprises department at (805) 893-4371. More information is available on the Housing website here (https://www.housing.ucsb.edu/residence-halls/housing-accommodations). 

Peer Notetaking Services Rollback

In Summer 2022, DSP announced that they would be rolling back peer notetaking services in favor of adaptive technology accommodations. However, it is important to note that these notetaking services are still available. Students must now contact their DSP specialists specifically requesting notetaking as an accommodation and providing a reason for why notetaking is more valuable to them than adaptive technology. CODE does not support this decision, as it creates additional access barriers that are simply not necessary, but is completely willing to advocate for students who need notetaking accommodations and cannot access them. If you are in need of notetaking services and are having trouble accessing them through your DSP specialist, please contact CODE immediately.

Remote Participation Accommodation

Students with significant disabilities that impact classroom attendance may request an accommodation through DSP allowing them to attend courses remotely. This accommodation requires specific documentation for remote instruction to be submitted. More information can be found on DSP’s List of Services Offered webpage.

Community Resources

You can check out the Campus Community Resources and the Broader Santa Barbara Community Resource page to learn more about support services you may be eligible for in Santa Barbara County and California.

DSP Contact Information

The DSP Office is generally reachable through email or phone. Students may also travel to the physical office if they wish to speak with a specialist in person. Contact numbers and the office address are listed below.

DSP Office Phone Number: (805) 893-2668

DSP Office Fax Number: (805) 893-7127

DSP Office Address: The DSP office is located on the second floor of the Student Resource Building (SRB), which is located across from Parking Lot 22 near the Pardall bike tunnel. The address for the SRB is as follows:

2120 Student Resources Building | University of California, Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, CA 93106-3070

Links

There are various webpages students can visit to learn more about DSP, how to apply, how to resolve grievances, and how to access other disability- and accessibility-related resources. They are listed below.

DSP Staff Contact Information

Contact information for all DSP staff can be found below. Disability specialists serve as the main liaison between students and university staff, but students can also contact other staff at DSP if they have questions or specific concerns. 

General DSP contact form with options for all staff: https://dsp.ext-prod.sa.ucsb.edu/staff-contact 

DSP Director:

Gary White: garywhite@ucsb.edu

DSP Associate Director:

Jane Castillon: jmcast@ucsb.edu

Disability Specialists:

These are the people who can help coordinate your accommodations.

Proctoring and Technology: 

These are the people who are in charge of specific accommodation programs at DSP. Currently, DSP does not have an Adaptive Technology Specialist, so we recommend you contact one of the specialists listed above for more information about adaptive technology services.

DSP Staff Office Hours: https://shoreline.ucsb.edu/student_community?club_id=55416 (displayed in the sidebar)