Spring 2021 Update: SDS Office follows University Protocols for COVID

Student Disability Services – Homewood will be operating during usual business hours and will be fully remote except in rare instances. Please review all pertinent details below. If enrolled at a JHU campus other than Homewood, check local disability services websites at your school for any updates and your local SDS Coordinator contact information.

  • Appointments will be available by Teams, Zoom or phone and can be scheduled during business hours Monday – Friday 8:30 am – 5:00 pm ET.
  • Even if you remain on campus and/or have in person components to your program or research, we request that you use remote options with SDS to the greatest extent possible.

Disability Accommodations and Services for ALL Schools with Remote Courses

  • Students already registered with SDS can use their Hopkins JHED ID and password to login to the new SDS accommodations management system Accommodate to request their spring accommodations letters or request changes to accommodations.
  • Contact faculty members to discuss your accommodations and learn about how your courses will be delivered as well as how accommodations will work; faculty may elect to use different delivery methods and formats so it will be important to know these details as soon as possible. If you have any questions about your accommodations being implemented in a particular course, please contact studentdisabilityservices@jhu.edu right away so that we can assist you.
  • The majority of instruction will take place virtually this spring, with some hybrid and very few face-to-face courses. Our office will have limited capacity to proctor students due to COVID restrictions. If possible, exams will be proctored in coordination with faculty. If assistance is needed about specific accommodations reach out to SDS. If you or your instructors have any questions or concerns or need assistance with exam proctoring for in-person courses, contact testing@jhu.edu.
  • With the move to remote course delivery, there may be a continuing adjustment to technologies as well as potential challenges in delivering accommodations; please reach out to SDS to talk things through, report problems and let us know if you need additional accommodations or support. Read Word Document: SDS Student FAQs Fall 2020-Spring 2021 for more information on using the new Accommodate database and utilizing accommodations in the remote environment.
  • NEW ACCOMMODATION REQUESTS: Students may discover that accommodations are needed for the first time due to the change to remote classes. Students from all Hopkins schools can begin the SDS registration process online. Many aspects of the SDS process are already online and meetings to discuss your needs, explain how things work, and finalize accommodations will continue to happen remotely.
    • After submitting the online registration form and uploading documentation to the portal, you will be contacted by SDS staff within 3 business days to schedule a phone or video (Zoom or Teams) meeting to discuss your request for accommodations.
    • Accommodations will be determined during your initial meeting
    • After accommodations are approved, a renewal request must be submitted to select your accommodations in your classes for the current semester. If you wish to use your accommodations in subsequent terms, a renewal request must be submitted for each new semester.
  • Requesting your semester accommodation letter: After submitting your semester (renewal) letter request, allow at least 24 hours for your request to be processed. Requests for letters will be processed during normal business hours Monday-Friday. For step- by- step instructions on submitting renewal requests in Accommodate, watch the brief video, Student Guide to Requesting Academic Accommodations for the Next Semester or Term, or access the PowerPoint Document: Student Guide for Requesting your Accommodations Each Semester.

Students remaining in the residence halls on campus (Homewood and Peabody)

  • Please let SDS know you are here so that we can continue to communicate with you about any updates or changes that may impact you in a particular way.
  • If you need additional support during this time, please do not hesitate to reach out so that SDS can assist you in sorting out any disability related concerns and connecting to appropriate local resources.

SDS acknowledges the disruption and impact the coronavirus has had on the lives of many students with disabilities. Please contact your SDS coordinator for additional support. You can also find resources and updated information on the university’s operations and response on the Hopkins COVID-19 Info Page.

We wish you all the best for Spring 2021!

~Student Disability Services (SDS) Staff~

The office of Student Disability Services advises Johns Hopkins students with disabilities on available services, guides you as you register for and request accommodations and assistive technology, acts as a liaison with your instructors, and provides advice and mentoring throughout your matriculation. We work with the university’s central ADA Compliance Officer and comply with federal, state, and local disability regulations throughout our process.

Our office serves full-time graduate and undergraduate students in the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences and the Whiting School of Engineering, visiting college students in the JHU Summer Programs, and visiting high school students in summer programs sponsored by the School of Arts and Sciences or the School of Engineering.