Accessibility requires consideration of the needs of various building occupants, and necessitates matching places to people, instead of requiring people to overcome barriers. Cost effective approaches to making campus facilities accessible, including mobility needs surveys and the utilization of handicapped consumers, are discussed. (Author/JMD)

Answers to questions about institutional obligations under Sections 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 illustrate the legal issues that may confront college administrators as they make efforts to comply. Topics include: institutions that are covered, individuals who are protected, reasonable accommodation, affirmative action, and legal…

Three federal acts--the Architectural Barriers Act, the Urban Mass Transportation Assistance Act, and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973--are the focus of this examination of federal efforts to remove physical barriers. Requirements, application, and remedies of the federal legislation and how each act relates to the others are considered. (AF)

Numerous interpretation problems currently exist in the statutory and regulatory definition of "handicapped individual." The three-part definition as set forth in section 504 of the 1974 amendments is analyzed, and potential sources of controversy are identified in each section. Possible applications of such a broad definition are…

College faculty can learn to deal with common questions concerning disabled students, such as how much special assistance to offer them, and what special accommodations must be made to their particular limitations. Program requirements should be reviewed in order to distinguish what is essential. (Author/JMD)

Federal regulations regarding the handicapped pose problems for recipients of federal aid, but higher education's reactions have been more positive than negative. The principle problems seem to be compliance costs, the need for interpretation of the regulations, and difficulties in the areas of admissions and academic requirements. (Author/JMD)

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 prohibits discrimination by any recipient of federal assistance on the basis of a person's handicap. Discussion centers on claiming protection under Section 504, a court case illustrating affirmative duty, and private right of action and standards for scrutinizing unequal treatment. (AF)

Federal regulations regarding access to higher education for the handicapped are considered in the absence of definitive guidance from the government. Topics include: physical accessibility, recruitment activities, admissions tests, financial aid, off-campus housing, and student health insurance. (Author/JMD)

Section 504's prohibiting discrimination solely on the basis of handicap against otherwise qualified individuals in programs receiving federal funds was the basis of a deaf student's claim that an institution's failure to provide an interpreter violated Section 504. Implications for private colleges and possible grounds for appeal are discussed.…

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 was the basis for a deaf student's successful suit against a private college for failure to provide funds for an interpreter. Implications for private colleges and an argument for the unconstitutionality of the law as applied to private postsecondary institutions are discussed. (AF)