Guidelines for Faculty

INTRODUCTION

President Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act into law on July 26, 1990. This law enforces the concept of reasonable accommodations in education and mandates greater access to employment, transportation and public accommodations.

There is a further legal imperative embodies in Section 204 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, often referred to as the "Civil Rights Act" for people with disabilities. It states in part:

"No otherwise qualified handicapped individual .shall solely by reason of his/her handicap be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance."

In order to comply with this mandate, colleges and universities that receive federal assistance must assure that the same educational programs and services offered to other students be available to students with disabilities.

To accomplish this goal, both physical and programmatic access must be provided. This means more than the removal of architectural barriers and the provision of auxiliary services. It means that reasonable accommodations must be made in the instructional process to ensure full educational opportunity. Academic ability should be the primary basis for participation in post-secondary education.

This guide is designed to heighten awareness and provide basic information for the benefit of both faculty and students.