The Access Meeting is a one-on-one meeting with an accessibility advisor and an opportunity for you to share some of the ways you are impacted by your disability. Reasonable accommodations may be determined during or after this meeting occurs.
Access meetings are conducted over Zoom in the Summer, and students may choose virtual or in-person meetings during term time. For Zoom meetings, please ensure that you are in a quiet, private, low-distraction space and your technology is sufficiently powered before the meeting begins.
Parents & Family
Parents and guardians are important partners in the K-12 accommodation process, and we appreciate that they may want to support you in your transition to college. However, we ask that you please attend the meeting alone unless you require someone to assist you with significant communication or medical needs. This includes Access Meetings conducted over Zoom.
It may be helpful to take time before the Access Meeting to review any relevant medical history and IEP/504 plans that your parents/guardians supported you with.
DAO works directly with students and typically does not communicate with parents/guardians or family members about accommodation determinations or implementation.
Prior to your Meeting
Prior to your meeting, spend some time thinking about how your disability impacts you in different settings, for example:
This is an opportunity for you to share accommodations that you have utilized in the past or suggest accommodations you think may create access at Harvard.
- In the classroom
- While studying
- When reading
- Taking timed exams
- Living in a residential community
It is okay not to know all the potential accommodations you may need. We will make suggestions and talk through options based on the experiences you describe.
All accommodation requests made by you and/or your clinicians will be taken into consideration; however, DAO makes the final determination on reasonable accommodations. Requests from medical professionals do not guarantee implementation or approval by DAO.
What to expect during the Access Meeting
- Your Accessibility Advisor will introduce themselves, discuss the meeting format, and ask you to share how your disability impacts you.
- You will be asked to share information about your disability, experiences, current or anticipated barriers, educational history, and accommodations that have been effective in providing access.
- Your advisor will talk to you about your experiences and discuss specific accommodation options that could address the needs you shared.
- Not all accommodations will be determined during the Access Meeting. Your advisor will let you know if they need to consult with other DAO staff or ask for additional information before making a determination.
What happens after the Access Meeting?
Academic Accommodations
- Your Accessibility Advisor will email you confirmation of your accommodations, including instructions for how to submit your faculty notification emails.
- You may receive notification that certain requests were not approved, or alternative accommodations may be suggested instead.
- You are responsible for sharing your approved accommodations with your faculty at the start of each semester through the AIM portal.
- You are responsible for meeting with faculty at the start of each semester to talk through how accommodations will be implemented in each of your classes.
- Your Accessibility Advisor is available to work with you throughout the semester. Frequent and early communication is important when adjustments are needed.
Housing Accommodations
- Your Accessibility Advisor will email you confirmation of your accommodations.
- You may receive notification that certain requests were not approved, or alternative accommodations may be suggested instead.
- If you are a First-Year student, your Accessibility Advisor will communicate your approved housing accommodations to you and your Resident Dean via email, and arrangements will be made to meet your needs.
- If you are a sophomore, junior, or senior, your Accessibility Advisor will communicate your approved housing accommodations to you and your House Administrator, and arrangements will be made to meet your needs.
- If you require a medical transfer, your Accessibility Advisor will communicate the approval to move out of your house to you, the Director of Housing, your House Administrator, and your Resident Dean. The Director of Housing will be in touch with you once an accessible option has been identified.
How long before I receive my accommodations?
The eligibility determination process is not a same day process. The process, from the time you submit a completed application to implementation of your accommodations, can take anywhere from 2-4 weeks. Registration materials are reviewed in order of receipt, and you can expect to hear from us no sooner than one week after submitting your completed application and documentation to schedule an Access Meeting. Following the Access Meeting, some accommodation requests will need reviewed by our Accommodation Review Committee, which meets weekly. Further delays may occur during busy times, including the first two weeks of the semester or the week before final exams. Accommodations are not implemented retroactively.
Communicating academic accommodations to faculty
You are responsible for communicating your accommodations to faculty at the start of each semester. Accommodations are not retroactive and are only implemented once you select the accommodations you want to use in each of your classes via the AIM portal following course registration. Instructions on how to submit this request can be found on the DAO website. Please reach out to dao@fas.harvard.edu if you experience any difficulties or visit our virtual office hours.
Emails are sent to you, the student, and the course head only. Please forward a copy of the email to any Teaching Fellows (TFs). We recommend you set up a time to meet and discuss what your accommodations will look like each of your classes.