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How Does the ADA Protect You at College?

On Behalf of | Jan 23, 2025 | Firm News |

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects the rights of students with disabilities by ensuring that you have the same opportunities as any other student. The ADA sets standards for providing accommodations and support.

So, whether you’re attending a public or private institution, understanding the ADA allows you to advocate for the help you need and remove barriers to your learning.

More on the ADA and How it Applies to Schools

The ADA is a civil rights law enacted to prevent discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including education. President George H.W. Bush signed it into law in 1990, and it’s touted as the first comprehensive civil rights law in the world for people with disabilities.

In its entirety, the ADA is comprised of five titles, or sections. Title I pertains to the workplace environment. Title II ensures that people with disabilities have equal opportunity in services and programs offered by local and state governments, which typically includes public colleges and universities. Title III extends these same standards to private businesses and commercial entities, which typically includes private colleges and universities that receive federal funds like financial aid for its students. Telecommunication guidelines, such as closed captioning, are provided under Title IV, and Title V includes miscellaneous provisions concerning insurance, attorney’s fees, how ADA relates to other laws, and more.

As it concerns the school setting, the ADA ensures that students with disabilities have equal access to education, programs, and services. For this to happen, colleges must make their environments accessible and provide the necessary accommodations for you to fully participate in academic and extracurricular activities. The goal is to ensure that students with disabilities are not excluded.

Something to note, the ADA applies to both public and private universities. This is a difference from another similar federal law – Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Section 504 applies only to federally funded institutions and programs. This includes, however, institutions and programs providing financial assistance with federal funds. Thus, Section 504 applies to public institutions and to private universities that provide financial assistance with federal funds.

The ADA at Work

Colleges are required under the ADA to offer reasonable accommodations to students with disabilities. Some common accommodations include extended time on exams, a distraction-free testing environment, sign language interpreters, and assistive technology like screen readers or frequency modulation (FM) systems to reduce background noise and amplify the teacher’s voice. These accommodations are to be provided at no additional cost to you. Also, colleges must ensure that their buildings are physically accessible with features like ramps, elevators, and wide door frames for wheelchairs. You can read more in this article about the ADA and the medical school setting.

How to Request Accommodations Under the ADA

At the college level, you must take the first step by contacting your school’s disability services office. Personnel there are responsible for working with you to assess your needs and determine the appropriate accommodations.

Be prepared to provide documentation of your disability like medical records, testing results, or accommodation plans from high school (i.e., IEP or 504). It’s important to initiate this process early to ensure that accommodations are in place as soon as possible.

The Education Litigation Group Can Help Students with Disabilities

If you’re a student with a disability, use this article as a basis for understanding the ADA. Also, contact your school’s disability services office as soon as possible to learn more about the accommodations available to you. If you have questions or face challenges, reach out to a trusted teacher or advisor. Or, in the event your rights are being violated, seek legal advice from our law firm or another one familiar with the ADA in education settings. You can contact us here or call us at 1-800-580-9167. College is meant to be a time of learning and achievement, and the ADA helps to make that a possibility for students with disabilities.