The purpose of this paper is to discuss the limitations of law interpretations and policy regulations as they pertain to inclusion and exclusion of people with physical disabilities in physical education. We believe interpretation of the law has professional implications that must be addressed. Specifically, the ideal and the reality of the laws…

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, emerging evidence provides a deeper understanding of the pandemic's impact on the more than 8 million young people with disabilities. This includes youth who receive special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) or who qualify under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973…

This article describes the inclusion challenge children with special needs face on playgrounds and public parks with universal design guiding the rights of children both with and without special needs to have play opportunities. This study evaluated 68 public school elementary playgrounds to determine whether they met Section 502 guidelines for…

In this article, we focus on the life and accomplishments of Ed Roberts, leader of the Independent Living Movement for people with severe disabilities, to consider ways he envisioned and enacted a radical shift in professional practices within the field of rehabilitation. Using the field of rehabilitation as an adult parallel to the field of…

The purpose of this chapter is to review what has happened, and what is likely to happen, as accessibility and accommodations research and practice for content assessments are advanced to ensure the appropriate inclusion and validity of assessment results for English learners (ELs) and students with disabilities. A description of accommodations…

The National Council on Disability (NCD) recognizes that technology is essential to the full realization of citizenship for people with disabilities. Yet society has not evolved to the point where this population uses technology to the extent needed to enjoy the rights of full citizenship, as recognized by the Constitution. As technology continues…

Course accessibility is a priority in higher education, particularly in the design and delivery of digital learning experiences. Proactively addressing accessibility as part of online and blended course design meets the needs of all learners, including those in the margins. Inclusive design for online and blended courses connects the Web Content…

While conversations around the inclusion of individuals with disabilities often focus on the educational rights and needs of children with disabilities during their school years, there is a growing recognition that the period of transition from secondary school to adult roles is a critical time in the lives of individuals with disabilities. For…

Over the past half century higher education in the United States has been challenged to develop and implement policies and practices that effectively promote the access, retention, and graduation of diverse underrepresented populations. One of these populations is comprised of individuals with disabilities, whose equal access to higher education…

Part I of the feature describes the historical path of the Dear Colleague Letter and discusses the specific road to this landmark guidance, what it means, and how the leadership and action of the Office for Civil Rights will pave the way for students with disabilities to participate in sports the same way that Title IX has enabled participation…

The rights of all students to participate in extracurricular programs are required by current law but are often nonexistent, misunderstood, or even sometimes purposely not shared with parents. This article is addressed to parents regarding the rights of their children with disabilities to participate in extracurricular sport activities. Included…

In Part III of the feature, physical educators and adapted physical educators offer current best practices as models of implementation for readers. Contributions included are: (1) Answer to the Dear Colleague Letter from the Anchorage School District's Adapted Sport Program (David Poulin); (2) Georgia's Adapted Physical Educators Response to the…

Education experts and political leaders frequently agree that in spite of many changes, American schools continue to remain in need of reforms that will expand the circle of opportunity for all children. Few such leaders, however, recognize young people themselves as a critical leadership constituency in effecting the needed reforms. Special…

Although the 1954 "Brown v. Board of Education" U.S. Supreme Court decision changed the face of American education forever, few individuals at that time could have fully realized its far-reaching implications. Certainly, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Legal Director Thurgood Marshall in his arguments was…

Laws in the UK and the USA protect college students with disabilities from discrimination. The laws of both nations are complex and require institutions of higher education to accommodate qualified students. This article examines the requirements of both nations' laws with respect to the kinds of inquiries that may be made of students with…