• Eligibility for Services
• Student Information
  • Assistive Technology
    • Instructions for Read Out Loud
  • Placement Testing
  • Student Handbook
  • Using Real-Time Captioning
  • Interpreter Services
  • Math Testing Policy
  • Reader Services
  • Testing Accomodations
  • Student Guidelines for Alternative Text
• High School Counselors & Educators
• Parents
• How to Access Services
• Rights and Responsibilities
• Resources
• Interpreter Services
• Disability Grievance Procedure
• Faculty Information
  • Faculty Handbook
    • Types of Disabilities
      • learning
      • psychiatric
      • speech
    • legalities
    • learning
    • general
  • Instructor Memo
• Contact Us
• macomber

Office of Disability Support Services
Faculty Handbook

Legalities of Disability
Equalizing Opportunities For Learning

"an estimated 26.2 percent of Americans ages 18 and older - about one in four adults - suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder in a given year.  When applied to the 2004 U.S. Census residential population estimate for ages 18 and older, this figure translates to 57.7 million people.  Even though mental disorders are widespread in the population, the main burden of illness is concentrated in a much smaller proportion - about 6 percent , or 1 in 17 - who suffer from a serious mental illness.  In addition, mental disorders are the leading cause of disability in the U.S."

National Institute of Mental Health   http://www.nimh.nih.gov/index.shtml 

In Section 504 of the rehabilitation Act of 1973, a disabled person? is defined as, any person who has a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities, has a record of such an impairment, or is regarded as having such an impairment. Major life activities are functions such as caring for one's self, performing manual tasks, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning and working.

Top

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) www.ada.gov

A portion of section 504 http://pacer.org/text/pride/505.htm focuses specifically on postsecondary education stating that in order for persons with disabilities to fulfill academic requirements, reasonable adjustment in the programs must be made.  A reasonable accommodation in the higher education refers to an otherwise qualified disable student's ability to fulfill course requirements in the classroom when faculty and staff provide equal access to learning.  Faculty and staff accomplish this goal in the following ways:

• Using innovative teaching techniques
• Use of adaptive technology
• Adapting tests to assure measurement of a disabled student's knowledge, not the disability.
  For example, a goal of assessing information, not speed, allows for students to take tests with extended time.

In 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) http://ada.gov gave civil rights protection to people with disabilities.  It guarantees equal opportunity for people with disabilities in employment, public accommodations, transportation, state and local government services, and telecommunications.

As a result of ADA, colleges and universities now routinely offer interpreters, note takers, and readers for students requiring such aides and have installed elevators, wheelchair ramps and sloped curbs on streets to allow students with disabilities to move about campuses freely.

Top

Disability Support Services
Gannon Bldg, Room 204
Phone: (517) 483-1924
Additional contact information »