Section 504 Analysis

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Selection 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 are major federal legislative acts that are designed to protect the civil rights of individuals with disabilities. The intent of these two laws is to prevent any form of discrimination against individuals with disabilities who are otherwise qualified. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) are also another law which exist.
Section 504 is civil rights legislation for persons with disabilities. It prohibits discrimination against individuals who meet the definition of disability in the act, and it is applied to entities that receive federal funding. The primary objective of Congress in enacting Section 504 was to "honor the requirements
Section 504 applies only to entities that receive federal funds. Most public schools receive substantial federal funds through their participation in various federally supported activities, and as a result, they must comply with the provisions of Section 504.
Like Section 504, the ADA is civil rights legislation for individuals with disabilities. Unlike Section 504, the ADA applies to almost every entity in the United States, regardless of whether it receives federal funds; churches and private clubs are the only two entities that are exempt from the ADA. Therefore, private schools that are not associated with a religious organization have to comply with the provisions of the ADA; these schools may be exempt from Section 504 because they do not receive federal
Prior to IDEA, over 4 million children with disabilities were denied appropriate access to public education. Many children were denied entry into public school altogether, while others were placed in segregated classrooms, or in regular classrooms without adequate support for their special needs (Katsiyannis, Yell, Bradley, 2001; Martin, Martin, Terman, 1996; U.S. Department of Education, 2010). Congress sought to end the long history of segregation and exclusion of children with disabilities from the American public school system (Essex, 2012). IDEA defines disability by using a categorical approach. Children are not eligible for services simply because they need services; rather, they must fit into one of the specific categories of disabilities that is recognized in the law, and they must need special education. If a student is not determined to have one of these disabilities, but the student needs special education, then the student is not eligible for services under IDEA. Obviously, many children who could benefit from special education services fail to meet these eligibility criteria and may therefore be excluded from special education

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