Disability Rights:
Accessibility & Accommodations
Disability Rights
are
Human Rights
All people, regardless of disability or ability, have the right to:
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Non-Discrimination
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Access
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Equality of Opportunity
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Inclusion and Full Participation in Society
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(The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, and The Declaration of Independence).
History of Disability Rights in the United States of America
​A Brief Overview of Legal Bases for Disability Rights:
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United States Declaration of Independence:
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All people have the right to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”
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1817: Elementary School Act:
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Thomas Jefferson proposed a bill to establish free primary-school public education for all children of Virginia citizens.
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1930s: The League of the Physically Handicapped:
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Advocated for equal employment opportunities
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1940s: We are Not Alone:
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Advocated for mental health reforms as patients re-entered their communities
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1948: National Institute of Mental Health:
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Established under President Truman
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1950s and 1960s: National Association for Retarded Children:
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Advocated for equal care and education
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1954: Brown v. Board of Education:
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The U.S. Supreme Court held that segregation in public education based on race was unconstitutional because it violated the equal protection clause of the14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution. This case laid the foundation for civil rights for people with disabilities.
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Early 1960s: President Kennedy established several committees to address disabilities
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1971: Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Children et al. v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania et al. :
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Federal district court affirmed the right of children with disabilities to a free public education
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1973: Rehabilitation Act (*Title II*)
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1975: Individuals with Disabilities Education Act:
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Established free public education for children with disabilities
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1990: Americans with Disabilities Act (*Section 504*)
Accommodations Required Under Title II and Section 504
Many accommodations are required under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. These are enforced by the Office for Civil Rights in the U.S. Department of Education, which provides an overview of issues that these laws address.