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The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 - Section 504: ITS Impact on
Students With Disabilities
Subpart E of Section 504 is applicable to all postsecondary educational
programs and activities which receive federal financial assistance.
In brief, colleges and universities must be free from discrimination
in their recruitment, admissions, and treatment of students. Reasonable
accommodations in the academic program must be made by the educational
institution to insure maximal participation by all students with
disabilities. Under the provision of Section 504, a college or university
may not:
- Limit the number of students with disabilities admitted.
- Make pre-admission inquiries as to whether or not an applicant
is disabled. (An exception is permitted if the institution is
trying to overcome the effects of prior limitations on enrollment
of disabled students, and an applicant is willing to provide information
about his/her disability.)
- Use admissions tests or "criteria that inadequately measure
the academic level of visually impaired, hearing impaired, or
otherwise disabled applicants because special provisions were
not made for them.
- Exclude a student with a disability from any course of study
solely on the basis of his/her disability.
- Counsel students with disabilities toward a more restrictive
career than non-disabled students, unless such counsel is based
on strict licensing or certification requirements in a profession.
- Measure student achievement using modes that adversely discriminate
against the student with a disability.
- Institute prohibitive rules that may adversely affect disabled
students such as the barring of tape recorders from the classroom.
Auxiliary aids must be permitted in the classroom when they will
help to ensure full participation by students with disabilities.
Based on the provisions of Section 504, colleges and universities
could be required to:
- extend the time permitted for a student with a disability to
earn a degree.
- modify teaching methods and examinations to meet the needs
of students with disabilities.
- develop course substitutions or waivers for students with disabilities
- assure the availability of such learning aids as four-track
tape players and word processors for students with disabilities.
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