Students with Disabilities

Know what you need to know...

As a student with a disability, you need to be well informed about your rights and responsibilities as well as the responsibilities postsecondary schools have toward you. Being well informed will help ensure you have a full opportunity to enjoy the benefits of the postsecondary education experience without confusion or delay.

First, what are we talking about?

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 and the ADA Amendments of 2008, a federal civil rights law designed to provide equal opportunity for qualified individuals with disabilities, prohibits discrimination on the basis of a qualified disability and ensures that qualified disabled students have equal access and opportunity for participation in the programs, services and activities offered by a recipient of federal financial assistance.

Under ADA, a 'disability' is defined as 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. Although there is not an exhaustive list of disabilities under the ADA, the regulations identify medical conditions that would easily be considered a disability within the meaning of the law. These medical conditions are: deafness, blindness, diabetes, cancer, epilepsy, intellectual disabilities, partial or completely missing limbs, mobility impairments requiring the use of a wheelchair, autism, cerebral palsy, HIV infection, multiple sclerosis, muscular dystrophy, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, schizophrenia.

resources for students with physical disabilities

resources for students with learning disabilities

Looking for a 'structured support program'?

here are a few programs to get an idea of what we're talking about...