This study evaluated State Department of Education Internet home pages and special education pages for accessibility compliance with standards of the World Wide Web Consortium and Section 508 of the revised Rehabilitation Act. Only 26% of state department home pages and 52% of special education pages achieved W3C compliance and fewer conformed…

This article examines why it is difficult for individuals with disabilities to obtain dental services. It discusses inadequate preparation of dentists, cultural norms that create social, attitudinal, economic, and environmental barriers, and limited participation in the Medicaid dental program. The need for changes in dental school curricula is…

This article describes Internet sites relating to special education with a global perspective. The Web Accessibility Initiative is described, as is the current standard for Web accessibility: "Bobby Approved". Webable, a provider of Web accessibility technology, the Archimedes Project, and a Web site for translating languages are also…

Discusses accessibility for disabled persons to vocational programs in secondary and postsecondary schools in Wisconsin. Explains the mandates of the Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act regarding individuals who are handicapped. (JOW)

School leaders striving to comply with federal laws that mandate access to classrooms and playgrounds for children with disabilities can learn from the experiences of the Oliver Wendell Holmes Elementary School in Oak Park, Illinois. A sidebar summarizes schools' obligations to disability law and lists resources for more information on accessible…

The Promoting Accessible Recreation through Networking, Education, Resources and Services (PARTNERS) Project, a partnership between Northeast Passage, the University of New Hampshire, and Granite State Independent Living Foundation, helps create barrier-free recreation for individuals with physical disabilities. The paper describes PARTNERS and…

In addition to legislative accessibility requirements, other security issues facing school administrators who select a security system include the following: access control; user friendliness; durability or serviceability; life safety precautions; possibility of vandalism, theft, and tampering; and key control. Offers steps to take in considering…

Provides background on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and presents guidelines for library compliance, including read the legislation; designate an employee as ADA coordinator; evaluate current policies, services, and facilities; implement changes; provide training for library staff and related groups; and solicit feedback from disabled…

Both legal and psychometric principles suggest that testing accommodations for mental disabilities require additional analyses beyond that previously provided for physical disabilities. Examines legal precedents and psychometric standards. Concentrates on testing-accommodation requests for mental disabilities and concerns about test validity. (173…

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) gives civil rights protection to individuals with disabilities. It guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in employment, public accommodations, transportation, state and local government services, and telecommunications. Explains Titles I, II, and III of ADA regulations. (13…

Argues that barrier-free designs should be incorporated in the first steps of school facility planning to avoid the difficulties in meeting Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) guidelines during renovations. Explains why not all barriers need be removed to make a facility accessible to everyone. Discusses issues involving ADA guidelines and child…

A study investigated accessibility of 177 APA-accredited clinical and counseling programs in 135 schools to applicants via TTY phone lines. Eighty-six schools could be successfully reached using a TTY alone, and most of these lines were connected to campus disabled-student services. None connected directly to the APA-accredited programs.…

Examines, from the perspective of the plaintiffs, the 1998 Guckenberger v. Boston University case in which the plaintiffs claimed the university failed to provide reasonable accommodations for students with learning disabilities. The authors view the complex decision as a ruling against the university under the Americans with Disabilities Act,…

Describes the 1998 Guckenberger federal lawsuit from the perspective of attorneys who litigated on behalf of Boston University. Discusses events leading up to the lawsuit (which claimed Boston University failed to provide reasonable accommodations for a student with learning disabilities), policy changes at the university, the trial itself, and…

Discusses the major components of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 applicable to day care facilities. Offers guidelines for admitting disabled children, and for determining whether an accommodation is reasonable or an unreasonable burden. Considers an ADA case involving discrimination against a diabetic child for insights into the…