Accessibility

Nondiscrimination and Equal Access for Students with Disabilities

The 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that U.S. programs and services be accessible to individuals with disabilities. A 1996 Department of Justice ruling makes it clear that ADA accessibility requirements apply to Internet resources. An individual with a disability is defined by the ADA as a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a person who has a history or record of such an impairment, or a person who is perceived by others as having such an impairment. The ADA does not specfically name all of the impairments that are covered.

What You Should Know about the ADA and the Internet

The Web offers many educational opportunities for those with physical impairments. In addition to easier access, there are reports that the comfort level is much greater during group discussions where visual impressions and judgments are less likely to occur. Educators who utilize the Internet should be aware of Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act, which involves agencies that receive federal funding, like Binghamton University.

When a request is made by a student, the university must make reasonable efforts to provide access to the learning experience at a level equivalent to that of non-handicapped students. Therefore, Section 508 compliance should be taken into account as new course sites are developed and existing ones revised.