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Stephen B. Thomas, Kent State University The Journal of Special Education,
Vol.33/NO.4/2000, pp. 248-257
reprinted with permission
This article briefly reviews Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and identi fies the criteria that are used to determine whether a student is both "disabled" and "qualified." Then, specific areas of admission, accommodation, and dismissal are examined. Finally, guidelines are presented that may be used by professors and administrators in their efforts to provide qualified students with disabilities with nondiscriminatory access to higher education.
Today, there are more students with documented disabilities in higher education than ever before 140,142 freshmen reported having a disability in 1996 (HEATH Resource Center, 1998). That figure represents over 9% of all freshmen (HEATH Resource Center, 1998), as compared with only 2.6% in 1978 (HEATH Resource Center, 1995). Although the process has been slow, colleges and universities (hereafter referred to as
Of particular significance in recent years has been the growth in the number of students with learning disabilities. Over 35% of the freshmen in 1996 who reported having a disability were purported to have a learning disability an increase from 24.9% in 1991 (HEATH Resource Center, 1998). The growth in the number of students with learning disabilities has created a new challenge to professors and colleges. Over the years, there has been considerable resistance by pro | |
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