Disability Laws and Your Education

In today's world, it is hard to imagine a disabled person not being able to access the educational resources or having the educational opportunities they need to succeed. In previous posts, I discussed the ample amount of accommodations and resources one can receive upon venturing into higher education, but disabled people have not always been as lucky or accepted as you and I.

Historically, people with disabilities, physical or mental, were often thought of as dregs of society. Many "able-bodied" people felt those with disabilities could not be functioning members of society, hold a job, or even be capable of getting an education.

Prior to 1970, disabled people had little to no rights! It was not until the passage of the Rehabilitation Act in 1973 that the disabled were recognized as regular people, able to live stimulating and fulfilling lives.


Under the Rehabilitation Act, the government recognized that:

--there were a number of Americans with disabilities
--the number would always be increasing
--a disability is a natural part of life for many humans and their rights should be diminished because of it

The Act provided people with disabilities with many opportunities such as:
--living independently
--the ability to pursue a career
--integrate themselves in all aspects of society

Before the Rehabilitation Act was instated, few college and universities were accessible, both literally and figuratively, to the disabled. If they did have access to higher education, they were often segregated attending schools that only educated individuals with certain disabilities. Gallaudet University and Rochester Institute of Technology targeted only hearing impaired or deaf students. Today, both universities service both deaf and non-deaf students.





With the Civil Rights and Womens Rights Movements in full swing, many disabled people felt it was their turn for rights. This led to the passage of the Rehabilitation Act, which gave disabled people equal access to colleges and universities, but the act did have its flaws. The Act provided the disabled with program accessibility, but did not mandate handicap accessibility.


In 1990, President George Bush Sr. passed the Americans with Disabilities Act, which "prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in employment, State and local government, public accommodations, commercial facilities, transportation, and telecommunications" (ADA.gov).

Under Title II Section 504, all public and almost all private colleges and universities are required to be program accessible and handicap accessible. If a building or course materials are not readily handicap accessible to the student, the university may have to relocate classes or provide other alternatives for the student. As of 1992, buildings on public and private campuses must meet certain accessibility guidelines, thanks to ADA.

Overall, the disability rights movement has come a long way since 1973 and has provided you and I with access to education and other resources we need to live independent successful lives. With the ADA's 20th anniversary coming up in 2010, a documentary and stage production entitled "Invisible Voices" is being put out to convey the struggles and triumphs of those involved in the disability rights movement.