By definition of The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), a "person with a disability" is anyone with a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities, such as caring for one's self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning or working. The CSU definitions are currently from the Policy for Provision of Services to Students with Disabilities, CSU Office of the Chancellor. Code: AA 2002-35.
Learning Disability
The CSU Office of the Chancellor defines a learning disability as:
A generic term that refers to the heterogeneous group of disorders manifested by significant
difficulties in the acquisition and use of listening, speaking, reading, writing,
reasoning or mathematical abilities due to neurological dysfunction. Even though a
learning disability may exist concomitantly with other disabling conditions (e.g.
sensory impairments) or environmental influences (e.g. cultural/language differences
or conditions defined in the current Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders),
the learning disability is not the direct result of those conditions or influences.
Visual Limitation
The CSU Office of the Chancellor defines visual limitation as:
Blindness or partial sight to the degree that it impedes the educational process and
may necessitate accommodations, support services, or programs.
Communication Disability
The CSU Office of the Chancellor defines a communication disability as:
Limitations in the speech and/or hearing processes that impede the educational process
and may necessitate accommodations, support services, or programs.
Deaf and Hard of Hearing
The CSU Office of the Chancellor defines deafness as:
Limitation in the hearing process that impedes the educational process and necessitates
accommodations, support services, or programs. Students in this category may require
communication accommodation such as oral or sign language interpreters, note taking
services, or real-time captioning services.
Mobility Limitation
The CSU Office of the Chancellor defines mobility limitation as:
Limitation in locomotion or motor functions that indicates a need for accommodations,
support services, or programs. Included in this category are persons who have asthma,
cardiovascular problems, or other physical limitations that restrict the ability to
function without accommodation in the campus environment.
Other Functional Limitations
The CSU Office of the Chancellor defines other functional limitations as:
Any other disability, such as a dysfunction of a body part or process or a neurological
or psychological disability that necessitates accommodations, support services, or
programs, and that does not fall within categories listed above, which necessitates
the use of supportive services or programs, and which does not fall within the categories
listed above.