Frequently Asked Questions

The Assistive Technology Center is the department dedicated to using technology to aid Harvard students with disabilities. We assist our clients with access to course materials, research materials, and classroom activities.

We work with faculty, students, and Harvard’s Local Disability Coordinators to determine the best path to meet each student’s needs. To make sure students have access to the materials and tools that they need, we use many techniques and technologies including scanning and optical character recognition to create PDF or text files to be used with magnifying software or screen readers; transcribing texts and music into Braille; creating tactile graphics; and creating audio files. We also provide a variety of solutions for in-class accessibility.

The ATC offers demonstrations of voice recognition software, notetaking software, and any of the other accessible technologies that we use, by appointment.

For students who are registered with the FAS Disability Access Office, we also can provide laptop computers for quizzes and exams.

We are here to ensure that students have access to course materials and are able to do their coursework. Whenever possible, we will work directly with students to provide all accommodations. Our goal is to provide technological assistance with the least impact possible on the process of teaching and learning.

The ATC provides digital texts in a number of formats, depending student needs and accommodations as determined by the DAO or LDC. The types of texts we are equipped to produce include PDF, various formats of etext, Braille and output for refreshable Braille displays, music Braille, and tactile graphics.

We also provide demonstrations of accessibility software, and we can provide some assistance with classroom accessibility.

Materials can be delivered online or by pickup at our office in 1414 Mass Ave, Room 227.

To qualify for ATC accommodations, students must register with their Local Disability Coordinator. The LDC reviews all medical documentation and determines which accommodations are appropriate.

A list of Harvard’s Local Disability Coordinators can be found here: https://accessibility.harvard.edu/student-coordinators

Students who require disability accommodations will present you with a letter in the first few weeks of class.  This letter is written by the Local Disability Coordinator and outlines what accommodations the student is entitled to. When you receive this letter, read it right away and share it with all other course staff involved with the student.

The ATC provides laptops with accessibility software (such as a zooming program or a screen reader) for students in Harvard College and GSAS whose accommodation includes use of a laptop for quizzes, midterms, or exams.  If you are a member of course staff looking to reserve a laptop for a student in your class, please fill out our request form.  We also provide exams in alternative formats such as electronic text or Braille for students who require them.

The ATC does not provide proctors or rooms for exams; please contact your department for these. We also do not provide readers (someone to read the exam to the student) or scribes (someone to write down the student’s answers). For readers and scribes, please contact your department or your Local Disability Coordinator.

For any further questions, please contact us at atc@fas.harvard.edu.

Please fill out our laptop request form here:

It is the course staff’s choice whether a student may use their own laptop for quizzes and exams.

Please call or email the ATC to make an appointment for an individual, hands-on demonstration of dictation software in our Science Center office. Please let us know whether you are interested in a demonstration for Windows or Mac/iOS, not all software is available on both platforms.

Phone: 617-496-8800
Email: atc@fas.harvard.edu