Americans with Disabilities Act (3)

What happened to disabled students prior to 1960s?

Prior to the 1960s, disabled students and their parents had very few choices regarding their child's education. Students could either be homeschooled or placed in an expensive private school. As advocacy for the disabled grew, federal legislation has been developed to protect the rights of all students. During the 1960's, President John F. Kennedy created a committee that considered the educational needs of cognitively disabled students for the first time. As people became more aware of the needs of students with handicapping conditions, advocates were able to push for services to be provided to all populations. In 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act was enacted by Congress.

ADA requires equal access for disabled persons...

ADA requires public buildings to be accessible to disabled persons. For example, a school may be required to install handrails in the bathroom or wheelchair ramps that students may use instead of stairs. However, if making changes to the building proves to be cost-prohibitive, other accommodations must be made to give disabled students equal access to services. For example, if the music building is not wheelchair accessible, the music teacher may travel to the general education classroom to provide services to students.

What do the ADA and Civil Rights Act have in common?

The Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination based on disabilities for all public entities, including educational facilities. Similar to the way race, religion, gender, and national origin are protected according to the Civil Rights Act of 1964, ADA protects disabled students from being discriminated against because of their disability. For example, schools must make reasonable accommodations to enable disabled students to be included in activities that take place both on and off campus, including athletics, fine arts, and field trips.

American with Disabilities Act of 1990

While the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is specifically geared towards schools, the Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA, encompasses the treatment of disabled people in all public facilities, including disabled parents who visit schools. Let's learn more about this legislation.