Historical Overview of Disability Legislation

Rehabilitation Act of 1973

• Served as the building block for later legislation for people with disabilities.
  
• Often referred to as the "civil rights act" for people with disabilities.
  
• Prohibited discrimination on the part of employers and educational programs. Mandated reasonable accommodation and least restrictive environment in employment and secondary education.
  

For more information, visit:

US Dept. of Housing and Urban Development www.hud.gov/progdesc/s-504.cfm
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission www.eeoc.gov/laws/rehab.html

Technology Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities Act (TRAID) of 1988 - PL 100-407

• Also called the Tech Act.
• Expanded availability of assistive technology devices and services to individuals with disabilities throughout their lifespan.
• Authorized federal funds to help each state to develop a comprehensive adaptive equipment program.
• First piece of US legislation to use the term consumer responsive.
  

For more information, visit:

NY State Office of Advocate www.advoc4disabled.state.ny.us/TRAID_Project/ctrs_txt.htm
Technical Assistance Act www.resna.org/taproject/

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 - PL 101-336

• Often referred to as the "second civil rights act" for persons with disabilities.
  
• Defines disability functionally as any condition that impairs major life activities such as seeing, hearing, walking or working, specifies over 900 disabilities.
• Protects people from discrimination in employment, transportation, public accommodations, telecommunications, and activities of state and local governments.
• Offers same protections extended to other groups on the basis of race, sex, national origin, religion and age.

For more information, visit:

US Dept. of Justice www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/adahom1.htm
Eastern Paralyzed Veterans Association www.epva.org

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1991

• Amended version of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 - PL 94-142.
• Encompasses and expands upon earlier education initiatives and guarantees basic rights for infants, toddlers and children through age 21 with disabilities. Important provisions include:
  1. A free public education appropriate to their needs
  2. To the extent possible, provide education with students without disabilities and in the least restrictive environment
  3. Provide supplemental services permitting them to benefit from their education, such as physical therapy and assistive technology services
     
  4. Provides for Early Intervention State Grant Programs for infants and toddlers from birth to age 2
  5. Provides for the completion of a fair assessment to determine the student's educational needs along with parental or guardian participation and informed consent
  6. Students identified or thought to have difficulty learning in school must have and Individualized Educational Program (IEP) prepared annually by a professional team that includes the child's parents
  7. Requires that eligible students be provided with transitional services to promote the individual's movement from school to post-school programs

For more information, visit:

Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services www.ed.gov/offices/OSERS/IDEA25th/Lesson1_History.html
IDEA www.sdb.k12.wi.us/special/idea2.htm