Resources

Disability Resources at Yale

Organizations and Spaces

Along with DEFY, there are several undergraduate, graduate and professional school student groups, alumni organizations and community spaces that are allied with and form part of the broader disability community at Yale.

This includes:

  • ASL@Y 
  • DEFY Drama
  • the Disabled Law Students Association
  • the Graduate Student Disability Alliance
  • Disability Empowerment in Public Health at Yale
  • DivineAbilities
  • Yale Student Mental Health Association
  • Students Unite Now 
  • Elis for Rachael
  • Yale Disability Alumni Group
  • The DiversAbility at Yale (DAY) Affinity Group
  • Broads 
  • (upcoming) Mad Artist Collective
  • Accesible Movement Space

We are currently working to form the Disability Alliance at Yale (DAAY), a cross-school solidarity movement focused on community care, COVID and other accessibility campaigns, and establishing a Disability Cultural Center.  

DEFY’s Disability @ Yale Survival Guide

We know that the experience of disability at Yale can be confusing and decentralized. We also know that students who are struggling—whether with diagnosed or undiagnosed disabilities—may not know where to start as they reach out for help and navigate their time at the University. This document, compiled for students by students, is intended to show students with disabilities at Yale that we are not alone. Access it here: https://www.tinyurl.com/DisabilityAtYale

Disability Peer Mentor Program

The Disability Peer Mentor Program, now in its sixth year, is currently accepting requests for mentors! DPMP aims to pair students of Yale College and all graduate and professional schools with peers of similar backgrounds to create a community of support and mentorship for people with disabilities at Yale. This is an initiative of Disability Empowerment for Yale (DEFY) in collaboration with the CTL’s Academic Strategies Program and with DivineAbilities, ThinkDifferent, and the Graduate Student Disability Alliance (GSDA).  Any students who have experience with disability — including but not limited to physical disability, chronic illness, learning disability, mental illness, temporary disability, vision impairment or blindness, and hearing loss or d/Deafness — are welcome to submit a request for a mentor. Are you interested in being mentored? Submit a request for a mentor here! 

Disability Peer Liaison Program

A Peer Liaison (PL) provides friendship, guidance, and advice to new students and assists with their transition to life on campus. Requests can be made on a rolling basis. Currently in its pilot year, the SAS-run Peer Liaison program is to be representative of many different disability experiences within Yale. Peer liaisons will be matched with a group of first-year students that are registered with SAS and choose to participate. If you would like to request a mentor, PL requests are accepted on a rolling basis from the Yale College Dean’s website: found here. 
 

Student Accessibility Services 

Student Accessibility Services (SAS) works with all Yale students, including those in Yale College, the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, and all Professional Schools to provide appropriate accommodations for students with disabilities. Registering with Student Accessibility Services is a required first step for students who wish to request a disability-related accommodation or service. 

To learn about accessibility at Yale, please view our Accessibility Resources. If you have run into any accessibility issues in our community you can use the Report a Disability-Related Barrier Form and the appropriate office will follow up with more information. 

Office of Institutional Equity & Accessibility

If you are a faculty member or employee, please refer to the Office of Institutional Equity and Accessibility,  which is responsible for workplace ammododations and ensuring Yale’s commitment to equitable and inclusive working and learning environments.