Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act was the first disability civil rights law to be enacted in the United States. It prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in programs that receive federal financial assistance, and set the stage for enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Section 504 works together with the ADA and IDEA to protect children and adults with disabilities from exclusion, and unequal treatment in schools, jobs and the community.
DREDF Materials
- Sample Section 504 Plan and Health Care Plan for a Student with Diabetes
- A Comparison of ADA, IDEA, and Section 504
- A sit-in and demonstrations in San Francisco and Washington DC, in 1977, changed the course of civil rights history, and resulted in the signing of the 1977 Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW) regulations implementingSection 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
More Information
- U.S. Department of Education regulations implementing Section 504
- The U.S. Department of Education, Protecting Students with Disabilities: Frequently Asked Questions about Section 504 and the Education of Children with Disabilities.
- The Civil Rights of Students with Hidden Disabilities Under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.
- U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights Complaint Process
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for Civil Rights, “Your Rights Under Section 504 Of The Rehabilitation Act”
- Federal Agency Section 504 Contacts List
- U.S Department of Justice complaint procedure
- Department of Housing and Urban Development HUD’s Section 504 One-Stop Web Site
- Rehabilitating Section 504 – by the National Council on Disability. February 12, 2003.
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is the most important piece of civil rights legislation for children with disabilities ever passed in this country. Prior to its passage in 1975, at least one million children with disabilities in the United States were denied any public education, and at least four million more were segregated from their non-disabled peers. IDEA is the primary federal law that governs Individualized Educational Programs (IEPs) and the special education process. IDEA guarantees children with disabilities a free, appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment (LRE). IDEA was reauthorized in 2004 and its implementing regulations were released in August 2006.
DREDF provides trainings on IDEA and related issues for parents and professionals through our federally-funded Parent Training and Information Center.
DREDF IDEA Articles, Papers and Analyses
- A Comparison of ADA, IDEA, and Section 504.
- Mental Health Services for Children with Disabilities: the Story in California.
More Information on the IDEA
- U.S. Department of Education IDEA Home Page
- Family and Advocates Partnership for Education (FAPE) Project
- National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities IDEA Pages
- Wrightslaw
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
The landmark 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability by employers, public accommodations, state and local governments, public and private transportation, and in telecommunications. DREDF advocates for clients with ADA discrimination claims and represents them in court. We also provide training and education about the ADA, and work to strengthen the law through policy monitoring, development and advocacy.
To see specifics on what businesses must do to meet the requirements of the ADA see our Access Equals Opportunity page.
For information about DREDF’s trainings on the ADA, go to Training and Education.
DREDF ADA Articles, Papers and Analyses:
- “The History of the ADA: A Movement Perspective” by DREDF’s Directing Attorney, Arlene Mayerson
- “The ADA and Models of Equality” by Arlene Mayerson, DREDF Directing Attorney and Silvia Yee, DREDF staff attorney.
- “Achieving Accessibility: How the Americans with Disabilities Act Is Changing the Face and Mind of a Nation” by Silvia Yee, DREDF staff attorney and Marilyn Golden, DREDF Policy Analyst.
- “ADA Paratransit Eligibility: How To Make Your Case” by Kevin Irvine, Senior Advocate, Equip for Equality, and Marilyn Golden, DREDF Policy Analyst
- “Defining Disability in the Aftermath of Sutton: Too Disabled or Not Disabled Enough? The Supreme Court Creates a Catch-22” by Arlene Mayerson, DREDF Directing Attorney
- “A Comparison of ADA, IDEA, and Section 504“
- “ADA Bursts Barriers But Not Stereotypes” by Arlene Mayerson, DREDF Directing Attorney
- Access Equals Opportunity: ADA Guides for Businesses
- Achieving Access to Small Businesses: a Different Perspective DREDF’s response to The Sacramento Bee series highlighting ADA lawsuits filed by a small group of individuals in California