ABOUT OUR SERVICES: Who is Disabled?

"Qualified Disabled Student" means a disabled person who meets the academic and technical standards requisite to admission and participation in the educational program or activity.

Individuals with disabilities may include those with emotional or mental illness; illness such as cancer, heart disease or AIDS; learning disabilities such as dyslexia and dysgraphia; and physical impairments such as severely restricted vision, hearing and mobility.

An individual doesn't necessarily need to meet all the criteria for a disability to benefit from the services our office offers.

WHAT IS A DISABILITY?
Harvard University is required by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and The Americans With Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA) to provide effective auxiliary aids and services for qualified students with documented disabilities if such aids are needed to provide equitable access to Harvard's programs and services.

Federal law defines a "Disability" as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits or restricts the condition, manner, or duration under which a person can perform a major life activity, such as walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, reading, concentrating, breathing, learning, working, or taking care of oneself. (An impairment or diagnosis, in and of itself, does not necessarily constitute a disability: it must "substantially limit" these activities. Disabilities do not necessarily impair the individual's performance but may require the individual to seek alternate methods of carrying out a given task.)

TEMPORARY DISABILITIES AND TEMPORARY SERVICES
Although students with temporary illness or injury are not considered disabled by the law, they are nonetheless often in need of services or accommodations similar to those provided to students with permanent disabilities in order to maintain their academic program with minimal interruption. These students are encouraged to consult with the Accessible Education Office as soon as possible. Students requesting services , including accessible transportation, must be prepared to present current clinical documentation before accommodations can be considered.