Welcome to Disability Services at UMass Amherst

Our staff is committed to providing members of the University community with the finest educational opportunities and the most appropriate accommodations available for students with disabilities.    

Disability Services Staff welcomes you!

  • Call us at 413-545-0892 or students can schedule an appointment (in person or on zoom).  
  • Please check your UMass email for all correspondence from our office.
  • You can reach out staff via email directly, if needed.
  • We thank you for your patience as we work diligently to notify students of all necessary changes and manage with limited staff.

Faculty Accommodation Innovator

Benita Barnes, Associate Professor, Education
Benita Barnes, Associate Professor, Education

Some things I do to make my class as accessible as possible include Informing students in my syllabus that Disability Services is an available resource and that they should connect with me to discuss their accommodations.

I give assessment exams at the start of the semester that are untimed to allow for everyone to properly perform without the stress of being timed.

I always try to provide clear expectations of students. This reduces any ambiguity regarding late work, missed classes, etc.

I am flexible and I regularly assess my role as an educator and improve as I learn.