Student Disability Services (SDS)

The Law

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act which became effective January 25, 1992, legislate the following:

1. that no student may be excluded from any course or any course of study solely on the basis of disability
2. that modifications in degree or course requirements may be necessary to meet the requirement of some students with disabilities
3. that prohibitive rules, such as banning tape recorders from the classroom, must be waived for some students with disabilities
4. that auxiliary aids must be permitted in the classroom when they are required to ensure the full participation of students with disabilities
5. that alternate testing and evaluation methods for measuring student achievement may be necessary for student with impaired sensory, manual, or speaking skills
6. that classes may have to be rescheduled (moved to an accessible location) to permit access for students with mobility impairments
7. that special equipment or devices used in the classroom (and in some cases teaching techniques that rely upon sight, learning or mobility of students) may require adaptation in individual cases
8. that it is discriminatory to counsel students with disabilities toward more restrictive careers than students without disabilities, unless such counsel is based on strict licensing or certification requirements in a profession