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Harvard University Disability Resources (UDR) values disability as integral to our rich diversity

Welcome

Our office provides leadership to University efforts to ensure an accessible, inclusive welcoming learning and working environment for individuals with disabilities while complying with federal and state regulations. 

UDR serves as a central resource for students, faculty, staff, researchers, and visitors on disability-related information, procedures and services for our community. We also provide expertise in the development, implementation, and acquisition for best and promising disability-related University practices. 

About UDR
Three hands with temporary UDR logo tattoos on them

UDR offers the following services

Consultation

UDR is available to consult with community members related to best practices for accessibility and inclusion of persons with disabilities. Consultation may be initiated by a phone call (617.495.1859 or TTY 617.496.0466), or email to disabilityresources@harvard.edu. Examples of topics community members may wish to consult on:  

  • Resources available to students and employees with disabilities  
  • Accommodations statements for programs, events, and applications 
  • Responding to student, employee, and/or visitor reasonable accommodation requests  
  • Best practices for running inclusive and accessible programs 
  • When and how to provide captioning and/or audio descriptions for video or online content 
  • How to run accessible in-person, remote, or hybrid events 
  • Assessing physical accessibility of spaces used for programs and activities 
  • Access for service animals in campus spaces 
  • Effective communication with community members who are deaf or hard of hearing 

Training

UDR is happy to provide education in support of increasing accessibility and inclusion of persons with disabilities in our community. UDR will tailor trainings or topical discussions for departments if a group of ten or more persons agree to participate. UDR also offers a general Disability Inclusion class through Harvard’s Center for Workplace Development. 

Technology and Equipment

UDR’s Assistive Technology Library and Lab (ATLL) offers people the ability to try out technology to see if it is helpful to them. The ATLL also loans assistive technology and equipment such as wheelchairs or assistive listening devices, to any member of our community. 

Accommodations

Harvard community members with questions about reasonable accommodations for themselves or others may contact UDR at disabilityresources@harvard.edu for consultation. 

*Community members may wish to review UDR’s website for general guidance related to accessibility and our Frequently Asked Questions page to learn answers to common questions

News

Identifying barriers faced by people with disabilities
Melissa Shang had planned to become a disability rights attorney and had set her sights on studying sociology on a prelaw track. Once at Harvard, she quickly found a new possibility. Click this link to read more at the Harvard Gazette article.

Anne Fracht Receives Career Achievement Award
On April 3rd, HPOD's Self-Advocacy Associate, Anne Fracht , was honored with a career achievement award from the Massachusetts chapter of Association of People Supporting Employment First (APSE) —a national, non-profit membership organization dedicated to...

Quality of Care article
Lydialyle Gibson recently wrote a profile on Lisa Iezzoni, one of the most prominent researchers in healthcare and disability, for Harvard Magazine. Please read the article on their website.

Why Braille Matters
Nikki Rojas of the Harvard Gazette recently wrote an article on the importance of Braille and a class called "Why Braille Matters." Read more at the Harvard Gazette article.

Harvard Offers Site-wide Access to Visual Interpreting Service Aira

Harvard is pleased to announce its new engagement with visual interpreting service Aira. Free unlimited access is now available for anyone on Harvard’s Cambridge or Boston campuses who have Aira downloaded to their phone. This visual interpreting service...