On January 24, 2013, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) issued a
Dear Colleague Letter clarifying school's obligations under the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 to provide extracurricular athletic
opportunities for students with disabilites. The guidance
creates a clear roadmap for how schools can integrate students
with disabilities into mainstream athletic programs and create
adapted programs for students with disabilities. "OCR's guidance
is a landmark moment for individuals with disabilities, as it
sends a loud message to educational institutions that students
with disabilities must be provided opportunities for physical
activity and sports equal to those afforded to students without
disabilities," said Terri Lakowski, policy chair of the
Inclusive Fitness Coalition (IFC) and nationally recognized
sports policy advocate. You may have seen this announcement in
the media or through your organization, but what does it all
mean and how will this impact extracurricular athletics? The
road towards victory for student