Despite increasing animal prevalence in public spaces, few districts have proactively developed policies to integrate assistance, therapy, service, and emotional support animals that are both legally sound and support the needs of individual students. Federal legislation defines a variety of animals that could accompany students, but only those…

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…

This article describes a 12-step model that can be used for policy analysis. The model encompasses policy development, implementation, and evaluation; takes into account structural foundations of policy; addresses both legal formalism and legal realism; demonstrates contextual sensitivity; and addresses application issues and different…

The Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA), which became effective at the beginning of 2009, is poised to have potentially wide-reaching implications for higher education. The article reviews the recent amendments to the original Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (1990), summarizes the relevant Supreme Court cases that have…

Home economists can serve as catalysts for increasing awareness about the implications of the Americans with Disabilities Act in business, social, governmental, and educational institutions. They can provide resources for policy decisions and methods of instruction and accommodation. (SK)

The Tribal Disability Actualization Process used culturally appropriate deliberation processes and particpatory action research in considering policies for American Indians with disabilities. Talking circles on five reservations were used to achieve consensus on the needs of people with disabilities and derive community-driven solutions that are…

Children with serious emotional disturbance have the civil right to receive services in the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs. They further have the human right to be raised in their families and communities, with their individual needs guiding the service array provided. These civil and human rights are embodied in the Americans…

The implications for colleges of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which prohibits discrimination against individuals with physical disabilities, are examined. The scope of the law, sections of special relevance to higher education institutions, and appropriate responses are discussed. A plan for policy formation and administrative action is…

This newsletter theme issue outlines the intentions, concepts, and structures of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as it relates to employment. The article simplifies the provisions of Title I into the following statement: "If, despite my disability and despite some cost to be borne by my employer, I can perform the basic functions of…

The annual report of the National Council on Disability (NCD) describes major activities of 1998 to promote policies, programs, practices, and procedures that guarantee equal opportunity for all individuals with disabilities, regardless of the nature or severity of the disability. NCD's major activities for 1998 are grouped into four areas: (1)…

Explores legal issues for colleges and universities in responding to disabled students' requests to participate in intercollegiate athletics, outlines statutory requirements of relevant federal legislation, gives an overview of recent case law, and analyzes how institutions can best address the requirements. Concludes that schools must make all…

This report compares actual performance with the projected levels of performance set out in the National Council on Disability's (NCD's) annual performance plan. The findings of this report show a positive link between the allocated resources and NCD's performance. NCD's assessment review showed that it was successful in meeting its goals and…

Reviews issues concerning learning disabled (LD) students in the college environment, including demographics of this population, related federal legislation, principles underlying policy concerning LD students, distinction between accommodation and privilege for LD students, the uniqueness of each student's needs, and the simple nature of most…

This report presents case studies of five American Indian tribes that employed the Tribal Disability Actualization Process for considering disability legislative and policy issues. The first section reviews the history of the relationship between Indian nations and the United States, and addresses the demography of disability among American…

Analysis of federal statutes and case law concerning disabilities suggests that medical educators may be expected to refine policies to identify when physicians with disabilities are otherwise qualified; the essential tasks performed by physicians; reasonable accommodations for students with disabilities; and how communication about disabilities…