The purpose of this brief is to help families and educators understand the right of students with disabilities who need accessible educational materials to receive these materials in a timely manner. This right is based on provisions in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), as well as in the disability civil rights statutes…

Creating accessible instruction has been a subject of debate and lawsuits since the Civil Rights Movement. Examples include "Mills v. Board of Education" in 1972 discussed the 14th Amendment of equal rights in public K-12 education; instances involving extracurricular after-school programs, such as the YMCA Middle Tennessee Agreement for…

Pioneering legislation such as Sections 504 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1997, and the Assistive Technology Act of 1998 have increased attention to the needs of individuals with disabilities. These regulations require that public programs…

The transition from school to adulthood is a pivotal time in the lives of all students. For a student with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), change of any kind can be challenging, and a transition as momentous as this can seem especially daunting. Thoughtful planning, sound information, and open communication will help parents support young adults…

The purpose of this policy and practice brief is to provide readers with a resource for planning outreach to transition-aged youth, their parents, and the service providers who work with them (i.e., the authors' "target group"). The authors will first provide a summary of the laws governing how three key agencies--school districts, state…

The Americans with Disabilities Act demands a proactive approach in developing effective and integrated adventure education programs for the disabled. Programs cannot exclude qualified disabled individuals; modified participation is a choice, not a requirement; and staff must work toward removing physical barriers and providing reasonable…

This manual was designed to assist museums in becoming accessible to all individuals, including people with disabilities, in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act 1990 (ADA). Following an introduction that addresses museum attendance, accessibility, universal design, and different types of disabilities, chapter 1, "ADA Basics…

This guide to including children with special needs in community programs in New Jersey begins with a history of the inclusion movement, stressing the importance of personal experiences and beliefs and ways in which inclusion benefits everyone. The following chapter provides answers to 32 frequently asked questions on successful inclusion of…

One of a series of guides on implementing the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), this guide focuses on cultural diversity and the ADA. First, the major components of the ADA are summarized. This is followed by discussion of employer considerations in addressing cultural diversity issues and implications of the ADA, such as diversity…

One of a series of guides on implementing the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), this guide focuses on the relevance of total quality management (TQM) principles to the ADA. First, the guide briefly explains both the ADA and TQM. Next, "reasonable accommodation" under the ADA is discussed and suggestions for using TQM to help…

Discusses the effect of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on camp programing and provides strategies to improve camp accessibility for people with disabilities. Discusses obstacles to integrated programing including ecological and architectural barriers, attitudinal barriers, transportation barriers, barriers of omission, economic…

This book explains federal guidelines for program directors and child care personnel for daily practices and procedures when children with disabilities are admitted to child care programs. The handbook addresses inclusion issues to raise the importance of involving all staff in preparation for efforts to become an inclusive program. Part I begins…

This publication provides guidance to state and local administrators responsible for planning and implementing comprehensive school-to-work systems for all students, including youth with disabilities, under five key federal laws: (1) School-to-Work Opportunities Act of 1994; (2) Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) as amended in…

This guide summarizes the important aspects of the history, organization, and process of vocational rehabilitation of American Indian/Alaska Native clients. Specific units cover: (1) history of the state-federal vocational rehabilitation program; (2) organization and administration of rehabilitation programs; (3) fundamentals of vocational…