Culturally and linguistically diverse families present schools with unique challenges related to eligibility and programming for special education. There has been a dearth in the literature for this population, especially from a legal standpoint. Existing literature has offered scarce information to address the legal rights and responsibilities of…

Assessment equity concerns all educational authorities and practitioners. When educators consider issues of equity, their predominant concern is accommodation of students with special needs, cultural issues, and creating alternative assessment activities that have equivalence to standard activities, so as not to advantage or disadvantage any…

This article describes two major laws affecting special education--Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. It identifies the agencies charged with enforcement of these laws, and lists printed and organizational resources that address specific questions about these laws and their application in…

Six articles review and analyze 1996 court litigation concerning higher education. Topics include: federal immunity law; tort-accident cases (traditional tort rules in the college or university setting); disciplinary and academic decisions pertaining to students; employment discrimination; and disability discrimination. (MSE)

This material is designed to help faculty understand the requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). A brief overview notes three key considerations: the definition of disability, reasonable accommodation, and undue hardship, and then discusses faculty liability and responsibility for discriminatory acts. The balance of the…

This paper analyzes disability support services in higher education to provide administrators with a clearer understanding of disability support services and the legal requirements for their institutions to provide accommodations to students with disabilities. It begins by discussing the rapid growth in the number of college students with…

Designed to assist public institutions in meeting the many requirements and deadlines of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, this handbook provides a blueprint for coordinating ADA compliance and conducting the required self-evaluations. Chapter 1 reviews policy implications of compliance with the ADA, discusses the importance of…

This booklet discusses the risks that educational institutions face in regard to employment discrimination litigation and outlines a program to effectively manage such risks. Institutions need to address three main types of employment discrimination issues: sexual harassment, disability-based discrimination, and age discrimination. To deal with…

This guide examines the legal issues to consider in setting policy on the appropriate uses, and consequences, of student testing, and explores the controversies that have arisen in places where new polices were implemented. Chapter 1, "An Overview of Student Testing and Assessment," provides a brief overview of some of the state and…

This chapter reviews legislation and court litigation during 1986 that addressed the rights of handicapped students and employees. The most far-reaching legal activity occurred in the legislative arena, with the passage in 1986 of the Education of the Handicapped Act (EHA) mandating that services must be available for handicapped children between…

This book presents an analysis of and guide to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Part I considers the evolution of compliance standards under Section 504 with chapters on civil rights compliance standards, nondiscrimination versus affirmative action, and the recipient's obligation. Part II provides an overview of Section 504 covering:…