Office of the President

COVID-19 Guidance to Our Community with Disabilities

The following message was sent to the university from Dr. Chetan Joshi, Director of the University Counseling Center, and Dr. Ana Palla-Kane, Director Senior IT Accessibility and UX Specialist in the Office of Academic Technology & Innovation, Division of IT on Friday, March 27, 2020.

Dear Campus Community,

During this transition to online learning and teleworking, we recognize that members of our community with disabilities and accessibility concerns will need additional resources and support. To aid in this transition, we have created a central email that students, faculty, and staff with disabilities can contact, in order to get the help and support that they need. Please contact accessibility@umd.edu if you have any disability related concerns, or need accessibility services or support, during this period of transition.

In addition, members of our community can also access the resources listed below.

  1. The Keep Teaching website includes resources for instructors and students on how to implement accessibility and accommodations in online courses.
  2. Instructors, undergraduate and graduate students should contact the Accessibility and Disability Service (ADS) office if they have any questions on how to implement course accommodations online. ADS staff is available from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, and can be reached at (301)314-7682 or adsfrontdesk@umd.edu.
  3. The Counseling Center services are available from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. After-hours crisis services are available by phone at (301) 314-7651 starting at 4:30 p.m. every weekday and on weekends.
  4. University faculty and staff members with disabilities, who may be experiencing challenges related to teleworking such as inability to use technology, not having the needed assistive technology, etc., may seek assistance at:

We want to ensure that members of our community with disability and accessibility related concerns are cared for and supported. In this new environment, should anyone learn they need additional support or if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at accessibility@umd.edu.

Warm regards,

Dr. Chetan Joshi

Director, Counseling Center
Division of Student Affairs

Dr. Ana Palla-Kane

Senior IT Accessibility and UX Specialist, Academic Technology & Innovation, Division of IT
Co-chair, President's Commission on Disability Issues

Last update: Jun 24, 2020