Americans With Disabilities Act in Schools
A school that is compliant with the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) is, among other things, a place with wide entry points and ramps for students in wheelchairs, communication aids for students with hearing or vision loss, assistive technology for children with physical disabilities and staff aids. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 protects the civil rights of disabled people and requires schools and other public places to accommodate their special needs.
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Student Rights
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The ADA requires school districts provide an appropriate and free public education to all disabled individuals along with access to all programs, activities, services and administration. Districts must analyze how to provide equal school opportunities for special needs children, regardless of their disability or the severity of their condition, and provide services on request. When this analysis is complete, districts are obliged to modify their policies and procedures and provide services without cost to the children, their parents and guardians.
Aides and Staff Responsibilities
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Staff can be assigned to be aides to help students with disabilities complete tasks, such as getting books. Persons with disabilities can be consulted as to what measures will foster independence. Carrying a disabled person is generally not acceptable or in accordance with the goal of providing full accessibility. In rare situations that allow carrying, the carriers must provide the service in a reliable and safe manner that respects the dignity of the disabled person. Aides or a designated staff member can also act as guides for blind students.
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Assistive Technology and Learning Aids
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There are a number of computer programs that can assist learners, such as software that converts text to speech for the blind. Other devices and learning aids can assist students with physical limitations, such as a page turner.
Communication Supports
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Some students with disabilities, such as deafness, hearing loss, visual impairment or speech disabilities, can request communication supports in educational settings. Deaf children who communicate in sign language need a qualified interpreter. Other students with hearing loss can benefit from computer-aided, real-time transcription services (CART) notetakers, assistive listening devices or text telephones, known as TTYs. Blind and low-vision learners can be provided access through audiotapes, Braille, large print materials or video description.
Emergency Procedures
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School districts must adopt policies regarding emergency alerting systems and procedures for students with disabilities. A classroom with deaf students, for example, must have a visual alarm system with a flashing light. Aides can be assigned to warn and assist physically disabled students out of the building in case of emergency.
Accessibility of Facilities
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The ADA considers the use of inaccessible venues that deny physically disabled students the opportunity to participate in activities and programs to be discrimination. The Department of Justice publishes the "ADA Standards for Accessible Design" which outlines requirements, such as measurements for doorways and entryways, ramps, washrooms and other areas and exceptions to the standards.
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References
- U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights: Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA)
- DBTAC Southwest ADA Center: Compliance With the Americans with Disabilities Act: A Self-Evaluation Guide for Public Elementary and Secondary Schools
- University of Buffalo: Introduction to AT
- Department of Justice: 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design
Resources
- Photo Credit Thinkstock Images/Comstock/Getty Images
