Student athletes everywhere can chalk up another point in the
win column as the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for
Civil Rights has successfully issued a guidance measure that
addresses the rights of children with disabilities to
participate in school athletics and other extracurricular
activities. In an addendum to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation
Act, the proposed guidance adds clarity to the responsibilities
of federally-funded schools for the provision of opportunities
in physical activities and sports participation for students
with disabilities. The United States Government Accountability
Office (GAO) also aided in the initiative by providing a report
stressing the important health and social benefits of access to
and participation in school sports for all students, especially
those with disabilities. The measure calls for schools to
accommodate students with disabilities who choose to join
traditional sports teams by making “reasonable modifications.”
The National Center for Health, Physical Ac