Comparison of the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) IDEA (K-12) SECTION 504 ADA (College) (K-12 & College) Provide free Requires any agency, Extends coverage of Requirements of the appropriate public school or institution Section 504 to law education in the least receiving federal employment, public restrictive environment financial assistance to and private educational provide persons with institutions and other disabilities, to the entities, regardless of greatest extent presence of any federal possible, an funding; prohibits opportunity to be discrimination on basis integrated into the of disability mainstream Every child; concept of Same for elementary Students who are Who is covered zero reject and high schools qualified” “otherwise College Students: Students who are qualified” “otherwise Covers students with Protects all persons Protects all persons Who is covered educational disabilities with disabilities from with disabilities from that require special discrimination in discrimination in education services ages educational setting educational setting 3 21 or until based solely on based solely on – graduation disability disability Offers educational Eliminates barriers that Eliminates barriers that Services provided services that are would prevent student would prevent student remedial in addition to from full participation from full participation services available to all in programs/services in programs/services mainstream students offered to general offered to general school population school population School district Same for elementary College Students: Evaluation and responsible for and high schools Students must Documentation identifying and as having a College Students: evaluating students disability and must College has no such with disabilities and provide adequate responsibility; students covering costs; parents documentation of must self-identify as must consent to disability; if evaluation having a disability and evaluations and is needed, expense is must provide adequate placement decisions student’s documentation of responsibility; student disability; if evaluation has responsibility for is needed, expense is advocacy, including student’s negotiating responsibility; student accommodations has responsibility for
Comparison of the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) IDEA (K-12) SECTION 504 (K-12 & College) ADA (College) Requirements of the law Provide free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment Requires any agency, school or institution receiving federal financial assistance to provide persons with disabilities, to the greatest extent possible, an opportunity to be integrated into the mainstream Extends coverage of Section 504 to employment, public and private educational institutions and other entities, regardless of presence of any federal funding; prohibits discrimination on basis of disability Who is covered Every child; concept of zero reject Same for elementary and high schools College Students: Students who are “otherwise qualified” Students who are “otherwise qualified” Who is covered Covers students with educational disabilities that require special education services ages 3 – 21 or until graduation Protects all persons with disabilities from discrimination in educational setting based solely on disability Protects all persons with disabilities from discrimination in educational setting based solely on disability Services provided Offers educational services that are remedial in addition to services available to all mainstream students Eliminates barriers that would prevent student from full participation in programs/services offered to general school population Eliminates barriers that would prevent student from full participation in programs/services offered to general school population Evaluation and Documentation School district responsible for identifying and evaluating students with disabilities and covering costs; parents must consent to evaluations and placement decisions Same for elementary and high schools College Students: College has no such responsibility; students must self-identify as having a disability and must provide adequate documentation of disability; if evaluation is needed, expense is student’s responsibility; student has responsibility for College Students: Students must as having a disability and must provide adequate documentation of disability; if evaluation is needed, expense is student’s responsibility; student has responsibility for advocacy, including negotiating accommodations
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