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What are the Laws Regarding Disabilities
There are two major laws that have shaped what public and private post-secondary educational institutions practice regarding students with disabilities (follow the links to review the laws in their entirety):
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Since its initial enforcement in 1990 (Public Law 101-336), ADA was enacted to "establish a clear and comprehensive prohibition of discrimination on the basis of disability." The main idea behind the ADA is that "no qualified individual with a disability shall, by reason of such disability, be excluded from participation in or be denied the benefits of the services, programs, or activities of a public entity, or be subjected to discrimination by any such entity" (42 U.S.C. 12132).
The Rehabilitation Act, Section 504
Section 504 was enacted in 1973 (Public Law: 93-112) to ensure that "no otherwise qualified person with a disability in the United States . . . shall, solely by reason of. . . disability, be denied the benefits of, be excluded from participation, or be subjected to discrimination under any program any activity receiving federal financial assistance" (29 U.S.C. 791).
The basic idea behind these two acts, and additional state laws, is that an educational institution should reasonably accommodate an otherwise qualified student in order to ensure equal access and an equal opportunity to learn.