The Graduate Writing Lab staff and Fellows are dedicated to supporting the broad range of learning needs among Yale graduate students. We want to ensure that the GWL is accessible—not merely legally accessible, but thoughtfully, accommodatingly, and graciously accessible—to students with physical disabilities, neurodiverse learners, and students with additional needs, whether or not they disclose them. Registration forms for GWL consultations and events have a space to request accommodations. We encourage you to talk to your consultant about how you learn best, or start a conversation about the best way to support your progress as a writer.
Tell Us How You Learn Best
In addition to the accessibility features of the Poorvu Center space, the sections below describe accommodations you might request to enhance how you engage and learn in the Graduate Writing Lab. If you don’t see what you need on this page, please let us know how we can best support your learning.
Location & Meeting Spaces
- Consultations may be moved to more accessible spaces.
- Spaces can be made more open or changed to limit distractions.
- Furniture arrangements and lighting can be adjusted, as the location permits.
- Consultations may be conducted using Zoom.
Communication
- Consultants can read comments aloud.
- Consultants can refrain from asking writers to read their work aloud.
- Live captioning can be enabled, in-person or on Zoom.
- Communications can be conducted entirely in writing.
- The writing can be referenced using non-visual cues such as ideas in the paper rather than visual cues such as location on a page.
Information
- Consultations can be recorded, and a transcript can be provided.
- Materials for notetaking can be provided.
- Whiteboards can be used in some consultation rooms.
- Comments or ideas can be repeated.
- Consultants can assist with notetaking.
- Consultants can be asked to provide their comments in advance.
Other Accommodations
- Consultants can focus on recurring challenges a writer faces (e.g. spelling errors, structure, organization issues etc.).
- Consultants can provide the style of commenting or discussion that best accommodates a writer’s needs.
- Consultants can accommodate specific writing software or technology.
Explore GWL Programs
-
Writing Consultations
Get 1-on-1 feedback at any stage of the writing process—from brainstorming to final edits.
-
Workshops & Panels
Interactive opportunities to grow your academic writing knowledge or expand your toolkit of skills.
-
Peer-Review Groups
Groups of 4–7 students who meet weekly to share feedback, make progress, and support one another on a common project.
-
Writing Retreats & All Writes
Full-day and half-day events where graduate students set goals and write as a community in a quiet, supportive space.
-
Audience
-
Category