Being disabled at Hopkins, it can be difficult to understand which accommodations you may need in classes and what support systems are in place for you. I wanted to introduce some of the major resources I’ve used during my time at Hopkins as a student with hearing loss. While my experience is not a monolith, the following can be used by all students and staff with disabilities and people who want to learn more about disability and digital accessibility.
Student Disability Services (SDS) Office
This office oversees accommodations for classes and exams for Hopkins undergraduate students. After submitting documentation of your disability, they work with you to decide which accommodations best fit your needs. For me, they provided CART captioning, a service in which a live captioner typed everything that my professors were saying into a transcript, and ClearMasks so I could understand what professors and teaching assistants were saying while staying safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Accessibility Unit (IT@ Johns Hopkins)
Part of the IT services at Hopkins, this small team led by Kathy Cahill provides accessibility training, accessibility guides, and community education events surrounding digital accessibility. They also curate the Hopkins Digital Accessibility website, which has information that assists Hopkins faculty, staff, and students with making their digital content accessible for people with disabilities.
Disabled Student Community Outreach (DISCO)
This initiative is part of the Center for Diversity and Inclusion. They aim to build disability culture and inclusion in the Hopkins community. They have monthly meetings with free fried chicken sandwiches from Ekiben, a local Asian fusion spot in Baltimore! During these gatherings, I’ve learned a lot about disability justice, got to check out some awesome books from the disability library, and make friends with other students with disabilities over arts and crafts, where I made a bedazzled coaster aka diamond painting.
Overall, being a student with a disability can be challenging, but there are resources to get accommodations and find community among other students with disabilities. These resources have helped me succeed in my classes and become part of a larger community of students with disabilities at Hopkins.
