Among the most-longstanding and intransigent issues in the field, the disproportionate representation of minority students in special education programs has its roots in a long history of educational segregation and discrimination. Although national estimates of disproportionality have been consistent over time, state and local estimates may show…

The adoption of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504) and the Education for All Handicapped Children's Act, now the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), have had a major impact on the delivery of services for children with special needs. In light of the legal issues surrounding the delivery of special education…

The modern history of the legal protections for students with learning disabilities in K-12 education focuses on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which is funding legislation with detailed accompanying regulations that, respectively, are periodically revised as part of the reauthorization process. In contrast, Section 504 of…

In this article, the author offers suggestions for effectively addressing disability in and outside the classroom. She believes that a new vision for disability education that moves away from a limitations model and toward humanizing disabilities is crucial for campus communities. Through an introduction to universal design of instruction,…

This article describes national trends in outcomes of the vocational rehabilitation (VR) program, with a focus on adults with developmental disabilities during the period of 1995 to 2005. Findings show that the VR program has made substantial progress in excluding extended employment from the array of possible employment closures. Efforts are…

Legal protection against employment discrimination is being provided for handicapped workers through the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973 along with individual State laws. Successful affirmative action programs will require careful attention by rehabilitation professionals to guarantee proper utilization of the skills of the handicapped…

There appear to be very few differences between PL 94-142 and Section 504 of PL 93-112. The most important difference is that the former makes money available for compliance whereas the latter does not. (Author)

In this paper, data obtained from a university website accessibility and usability validation process are analyzed and used to demonstrate how the design process can affect the online experience for users with disabilities. Interviews, observations, and use data (e.g. where users clicked on a page or what path taken through a site) were collected.…

Postschool outcomes for students with disabilities have been dismal for quite some time now. Although recent data from the National Longitudinal Transition Study 2 indicate some improvement, students with severe intellectual disabilities continue to transition into segregated employment at unacceptable rates in spite of a multitude of studies,…

Colleges and universities long ago made the necessary accommodations and structural changes necessary to allow students with physical impairments to attend and eventually complete their studies. Students with physical impairments enjoy a full range of accommodations. However, the issues of disability and accommodation continue to evolve as more…

Traces changes in policy and legislation that have led to the provision of transition services for students who are deaf and hard of hearing. Describes provisions in the 1992 Amendments to the Rehabilitation Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and the School-to-Work Opportunities Act. (CR)

Professionals in the field of education emphasize post-secondary education as "the other transition" for students with disabilities. Although literature is accumulating about the integration and use of assistive technologies (AT) for students with disabilities in educational settings, greater emphasis has been placed on K-12 than…

Analyzes briefly some of the compliance standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), using the evolution of disability discrimination law under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as a guide. Concludes that the ADA's compliance standards are more vaguely worded than the earlier legislation, possibly opening the door to a wave of…

This booklet for Minnesota young people with disabilities and their families is intended to explain vocational rehabilitation services required under the Rehabilitation Act as amended in 1992 and transition services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The first section discusses vocational rehabilitation, transition services for…

Examines, from the perspective of the plaintiffs, the 1998 Guckenberger v. Boston University case in which the plaintiffs claimed the university failed to provide reasonable accommodations for students with learning disabilities. The authors view the complex decision as a ruling against the university under the Americans with Disabilities Act,…