The Spectrum of Disability Documentation Requirements at 12 Institutions A Thematic Analysis

The two laws primarily governing disability services in postsecondary education, the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, permit institutions of higher education to determine disability documentation requirements on an individual basis. Many institutions have utilized documentation guidelines delineating a range of domains to be addressed, and often, suggestions for specific tests to be included, as well as strict recency requirements. Following passage of the ADAAA in 2008, the Association on Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) published documentation guidance practices that reflected the updated ADAAA. The current qualitative study examined the perspectives of 12 directors of disability services (DDS) at postsecondary institutions in the United States regarding the disability documentation requirements at their respective schools and their perspectives on why the standards were adopted. Findings revealed a wide spectrum from flexibility to rigidity in requirements from those who employ traditional guidelines to those who apply selective degrees of the AHEAD guidance. Benefits and drawbacks of documentation and the AHEAD guidance are discussed, as well as suggestions for practitioners and institutions seeking to implement the AHEAD guidance.

Disability in the Context of Family, Friends, and Community

This chapter has five more advanced activities and focuses on disability in the context of the social milieu and the community. The first three activities are about living well and being fully integrated into social and community living. One of these activities is about making changes to one’s living quarters to increase accessibility and the costs and legalities involved and teaches how to assess for accessibility. Another activity involves assessing accessibility in the community and the burden on disabled people to not take access for granted. The third activity has students find the Section 504 (of the Rehabilitation Act, 1975) coordinator for their community and locate a town map of accessibility and handicapped parking. The next two activities pick up the concept of intersectionality, first introduced in Chapter 3, but exploring disability within religion, and disability in the context of multiple marginalized identities.

Avoiding Discrimination Litigation With Teachers With Disabilities: A Litigation Review

Qualified teachers with disabilities are protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). To maintain legal compliance, principals must have an understanding of employment law, but often lack the training to prevent legal liability. This study reviewed litigation on discrimination claims under the ADA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Discrimination claims included failure to accommodate, adverse employment action, wrongful termination, and constructive discharge. Authors analyze results and discuss implications for future research and practice.