Scope: Rural
Empowering Disability Advocates in Rural and Remote Communities
What are the barriers to disability inclusion in rural and remote communities? The barriers that persons with disabilities experience in urban areas are magnified in a rural or remote setting. Stereotypes and stigma One key barrier to rights in rural and remote areas is discrimination. In places that are geographically distant from educational and other… Continue reading Empowering Disability Advocates in Rural and Remote Communities
Parent Empowerment
Introduction Parent participation in the education of children with disabilities is a core concept of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the U.S. civil rights law that requires schools to meet the educational needs of children with disabilities. IDEA recognizes that family involvement has a profound influence on how children do in school and… Continue reading Parent Empowerment
Low Cost Physical Access Solutions for Schools
Introduction Successfully educating children who are disabled with their nondisabled classmates for full participation in society requires accessible schools. Providing an environment that is accessible to all children reflects the belief that all students are valued and welcome. Accessibility should not be viewed as a constraint or simply a set of rules that must be… Continue reading Low Cost Physical Access Solutions for Schools
U.S. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), formerly called the Education for all Handicapped Children Act of 1975, requires public schools to make available to all eligible children with disabilities a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment appropriate to the child’s education needs. Under the law, State and local education agencies are… Continue reading U.S. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
Section 504 of the U.S. Rehabilitation Act of 1973
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, or Section 504, can be considered the oldest federal disability civil rights law in the U.S. It prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in public and private programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance. The law also covers programs and activities that are conducted by the federal… Continue reading Section 504 of the U.S. Rehabilitation Act of 1973
Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA)
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a civil rights law that critically extended Section 504’s disability nondiscrimination mandate to the private sector. The ADA reaches such entities as private employers (with 15 or more employees), retailers, service establishments, transportation companies, and telecommunication companies, regardless of whether they receive federal financial assistance. The law is… Continue reading Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA)
National U.S. Disability Laws
The laws included on the RightsNow! website are primarily rights-oriented laws that prohibit many different kinds of entities, such as individuals, state and municipal governments, private employers and businesses, and service organizations, from discriminating on the basis of disability. However, we include some explanation and links related to the ongoing federal benefits and support laws that pertain… Continue reading National U.S. Disability Laws