Welcome
Harvard University Disability Resources (UDR) welcomes students, faculty, staff and visitors with disabilities. UDR values disability as integral to our rich diversity and 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 on disability-related information, procedures and services for the University community and provides expertise in the development, implementation, and acquisition for best and promising disability-related University practices, procedures and resources.
News and Information
#ADA31: Celebrating the 31st Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act: A July 26, 2021 event in which leaders and community members from across the University celebrated the 31st anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This events celebrates great strides in providing equal opportunity, while discussing the work that remains. Learn about initiatives that support students, staff, faculty and the public with disabilities and how everyone at the University has a role to play in making sure Harvard is inclusive and welcoming to all. Introductory remarks: Larry Bacow, President, Harvard University; Sherri Charleston, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer, Harvard University; Kyle Shachmut, Assistant Director, Digital Accessibility Services, Harvard University Information Technology. Panelists: Grace Moskola, Director, Accessible Education Office, Faculty of Arts & Sciences and Graduate School of Arts & Sciences; Kyle Shachmut, Assistant Director, Digital Accessibility Services, Harvard University Information Technology; Kate Upatham, Director, University Disability Resources, Harvard Central Administration; Amy Deschenes (moderator) - Head of User Experience and Digital Accessibility, Harvard Library. Sponsored by Harvard University IT and Harvard's Office for Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging (ODIB).
A chance to 'amplify one another': What is Disability Pride Month?
Michele Clopper to leave Harvard on June 25, 2021: Michele Clopper has decided to step down as UDR Director on June 25, 2021. She assumed this position in the summer of 2015 and has overseen the expansion of staffing, programming, and importantly, led the conversation of disability inclusion university wide as a part of the Harvard’s DIB efforts. Michele came to the university in 2005 as a university-wide individual contributor who assisted employees with disabilities in maintaining their employment. Michele extends her thanks to everyone who is and continues to be a voice at Harvard who says, “to achieve inclusive excellence disability needs to be on the front-end of the conversation as it is a part of everyone’s experience.”
Building Accessible Spaces - Integrating Assistive Technology, video now available!: This project is part of the 2019 President's Administrative Innovation Fund. Learn more about integrating different types of assistive technology in a space, including FM Systems, Bluetooth technology, and other tech used to make spaces accessible (Harvard Affiliates Only) - Link to Building Accessible Spaces
Authentic Inclusion Drives Innovation: Presentation by Frances West, video now available! (Harvard Affiliates Only) - Link to Authentic Inclusion Drives Innovation
The Changing Reality of Disability in America 2020: Presented by the Institute for Human Centered Design, this documentary film and research project reexamines the experience of disability in America, and shines a light on the stories of those all too often left behind. Watch the documentary and read the full research report
Aimi Hamraie, Associate Professor of Medicine, Health, & Society and American Studies at Vanderbilt University and the author of Building Access: Universal Design and the Politics of Disability recently spoke at the Design School on her research and history of the built environment. One can access her talk on Critical Access Studies
Department of Justice (DOJ) Statement on Civil Rights during COVID
COVID-19: Effective Communication for Individuals with Hearing Loss
Watch “Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution”, winner of the 2020 Audience Award at the Sundance Film Festival for U.S. Documentary, on Netflix. This film focuses on the disability civil rights movement.