The monograph addresses legal issues involving discrimination against handicapped persons and the key legal requirement of reasonable accommodation. Four chapters in Part I examine background issues, including definitions and statistical overviews of handicaps; historical attitudes toward handicapped persons and an analysis of the extent of discrimination in education, employment, institutionalization, medical treatment, sterilization, architectural barriers, and transportation; a review of Federal Civil Rights legislation regarding the handicapped (Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Education for All Handicapped Children Act, Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act, Architectural Barriers Act, and Constitutional provisions); and a discussion of the goal of full participation and its impact on rehabilitation, employment, education, institutionalization, transportation, and architectural barriers. Part II examines the legal principles and standards involved in handicap discrimination law. The practice of reasonable accommodation is explored in terms of requirements for individualizing opportunities and providing equivalent opportunities; limitations on the obligation to accommodate; and removal of architectural, transportation, and communication barriers. A further chapter focuses on applying civil rights law to handicap discrimination. A final section presents conclusions on the general topic of discrimination as well as on subtopics of reasonable accommodation and the application of civil rights laws to handicap discrimination. (CL)