Government Resources

Ohio Resources

• ADA Ohio
• Ohio Department of Education, Students with Disabilities
• ADA & IT Technical Assistance Centers, Region 5 (IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI)
  Serve as an educational entity for the public providing up-to-date information on relevant legislation.
• Ohio Rehabilitation Services Commission (ORSC)ORSC is the state's agency that provides vocational rehabilitation services to help people with disabilities become employed and independent. Direct vocational rehabilitation is provided by two of its agencies. Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation (BVR) and the Bureau of Services for the Visually Impaired (BSVI).
• BVR
  BVR assists people with disabilities by providing vocational rehabilitation and other services.
• BSVI
  BSVI provides vocational rehabilitation and other services to Ohioans who are blind or have a visual impairment. For additional information about services and programs provided by RSC.

U.S. Government Resources

• The ADA Connection
• Office for Civil Rights
• Department of Justice
• DisabilityInfo.gov
  Provides quick and easy access to comprehensive information about disability programs, services, laws and benefits.
• Disability Rights Section Home Page, US Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division
  Provides information and news regarding disability rights.
• Government Services for Individuals with Disabilities and Families
• ADA & IT Technical Assistance Center, Region 5 (IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI)
  Serves as an educational entity for the public providing up-to-date information on relevant legislation.
• National Council on Disability
• IDEA The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
• Information for Parents of Students with Disabilities—Transitioning from High School to College.
• Students with Disabilities Preparing for Postsecondary Education: Know Your Rights and Responsibilities

ADA and Section 504
Information provided here should not be construed as legal advice in any way.

Students and parents familiar with the Individuals with Disabilities Act of 1990 (IDEA) often are surprised to find that this law does not apply to postsecondary education.

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) are the primary civil rights statutes that promise protection from discrimination based on disability for students in postsecondary education. Both promise equal opportunities for individuals with disabilities.

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is a civil rights law designed to eliminate discrimination based on disability in any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. Section 504 guarantees certain rights to individuals with disabilities.

Specifically, 34 C.F.R.104 states:

"No otherwise qualified individual with a disability in the United States, as defined by section 7(20), shall, solely by reason of his/her disability, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity of a public or private entity that receives or benefits from Federal financial assistance..."

"Otherwise qualified"...with respect to post-secondary educational services, means a person who meets the academic and technical standards requisite to admission or participation in the education program or activity with or without

• reasonable modifications to rules, policies, or practices;
• removal of architectural, communication, or transportation barriers; or
• provision of auxiliary aids and services.

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 expands the mandates established in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. This law reinforces previous state and federal statutes, preserving the rights of persons with disabilities but not superseding them. The ADA extends to the private sector and allows for greater access to employment, transportation, and public accommodations.

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 defines an individual with a disability as a person who:

• has a physical or mental impairment, which substantially limits one or more major life activities. Major life activities include, but are not limited to:
• self-care
• manual tasks
• walking
• seeing
• hearing
• speaking
• breathing
• learning
• working
• has a record of such an impairment; or
• is regarded as having such impairment.

Examples of Types of Disabilities

• Vision Impairments
• Mental Health/Psychiatric Impairments
• Hearing Impairments
• Health Impairments/Chronic Illnesses
• Mobility Impairments