The Americans with Disabilities Act, signed into law July 26, 1990, has been heralded across the nation as a triumph for the 43 million Americans with disabilities. This document provides a guide to Title 1 of this Act, which forbids employers with 15 or more employees from discriminating against a qualified individual with a disability in job…

Equity was an invisible issue in the recent reports calling for higher pre-college standards and increased Federal spending on education. Although usually mentioned, equity was part of the (political) rhetoric, not a concrete goal. In "A Nation at Risk," for example, minority and handicapped students are discussed, but with the implication that…

A revision of the 1978 guide designed to assist institutions improve access for handicapped students in compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is presented. The guide assumes the reader is interested in learning how to comply with Section 504 and does not address the question of whether a particular education program or…

Developed by the Illinois Governor's Planning Council on Developmental Disabilities, this guide is intended to help parents and other laypersons communicate more knowledgeably and effectively with professionals who work with handicapped persons, as well as with handicapped individuals themselves. Section I offers suggestions for interpersonal…

In this four-page pamphlet suggestions are provided for conducting school ceremonies which are free of race, ethnic, sex, religious, or handicap bias. Race, ethnic, and sex fairness are addressed in the topics of choosing robe colors, line formation, seating order, listing of participants, choosing speakers, distributing diplomas, and choosing…

Poor academic performance can result from single, multiple, interacting, and unknown causes, rather than being an entity with a specific cause and course. It is better to adopt a descriptive approach and define retardation as relative failure on a cluster of socially determined behaviors, varying over cultures and over time. (Author)

Five legal questions are discussed in the conflict between the move to institute minimum competency testing (MCT) for students and the effort to protect the educational rights of handicapped children. The threshold question is whether handicapped children should be subject to the same MCT requirements as the non-handicapped. (PS)

The Supreme Court has ruled that Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which protects disabled people from discrimination, covers persons with contagious diseases. This decision is seen as strengthening the rights of people suffering from AIDS as well as other diseases. (MSE)

Traces the change in Federal funding policy to exclude programs, rather than institutions, which racially discriminate. Argues that this loophole, created by a Supreme Court decision in 1984, has had a devastating impact on civil rights enforcement. Explores the impact of discrimination on four types: sex, age, race, and handicap. (ETS)

Business is about productivity and maintaining a competitive advantage. To do this, business needs qualified workers. Hiring people with disabilities adds value to a business and will attract new customers. Disability is not inability. President Bush's position is that he "will not be satisfied until every American who wants a job can find a…

This brief paper summarizes requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 related to reasonable accommodation. The following topics are addressed: what is meant by reasonable accommodation and some examples; some ways of determining essential job functions and possible accommodations (such as job descriptions, permissible and…

One of a series of guides on implementing the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), this guide focuses on employment considerations for people who have diabetes. First, the condition of diabetes mellitus, both Types I and II, is briefly explained. Next, the relationship of diabetes to the ADA is examined, including the definition of a disability…

Designed for educators, this guide provides an overview of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, compares and contrasts Section 504 with the requirements of the federal special education statute of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act, and discusses how powerful Section 504 is as a…

Explores the 1977 regulations of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as they pertain to postsecondary educational programs, with particular application and emphasis on counselor education programs. Discusses court litigation which is helpful in establishing guidelines for counselor education programs. (RC)

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)