Equality, Accessibility, Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity
The cultural language associated with improving the availability of resources and increasing acceptance of all people can be complicated and confusing. The purpose of this training is to help you understand these concepts on a deeper level.
In addition to the definitions of the words in the title, this training includes the following topics: mobility and functional supports, sensory-friendly environments, online accessibility, and important government policy that supports inclusivity.
The Arc of Bartholomew County
The Arc of Bartholomew County is a nonprofit organization aiming to be the resource of choice for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities and their families.
The organization was established in 1956 and continues to serve the community.
The training you're currently exploring was developed with the support of a Heritage Fund grant. The grant's goal was to expand online services and build resilience during the pandemic.
Training Introduction
This training introduces the concepts of equality, accessibility, diversity, inclusion, and equity.
It's designed to be completed in one sitting, but there are no time limits. This is a guided learning experience. We expect this training to give you a deeper understanding of the topic both technically and culturally.
Definitions
Understanding the nuances in this area starts with an understanding of vocabulary. Each of the terms in this section have nuanced, interdependent definitions. A push to increase diversity, for example, may not create a more inclusive environment.
With this section of training, you'll understand the meaning and difference among the following concepts:
Equality
Accessibility
Diversity
Inclusion
Equity
Equality
Equality is a challenging concept to define since the word "equal" refers to two things being the same. Equality, in this context, does not mean equal and that's where the difficulty begins.
The world is full of differences, differences in ability, demographics, socioeconomic status, and more. These differences are valuable and important to progress in a healthy society.
Equality is about recognizing these inherent differences while appreciating that these differences should not be the primary reason for differences in opportunity or access. The remaining definitions in this section refine the idea of equality and clarify important though, regrettably, abstract concepts.
To illustrate the complicated definition of this first concept, review Stanford University's Encyclopedia of Philosophy entry for equality (it explores equality for over 20 type-written pages): https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/equality/
Accessibility
Accessibility is about the ease of access to locations or information. Typically this revolves around access for individuals with disabilities, but certainly isn't limited to that population.
The conversation of accessibility includes access to digital environments like websites too. It's often surprising, to those who haven't been affected by a lack of access, how increasing accessibility often serves broader populations.
Public transportation provides a nice example of this. A person who uses a wheelchair for mobility benefits from the use of ramps to access a loading platform. Similarly, a parent using a stroller to transport young children also benefit from the availability of those same ramps.
By taking steps to increase accessibility for some, it's common to improve access for many others at the same time. Given the benefits, consider how the settings you encounter enhance or limit accessibility.
People who need different access mechanisms cannot be treated as an afterthought in the design of physical spaces and digital sources of information. Later in this training, supportive equipment and environmental innovations will be discussed.
Diversity
Diversity refers to differences among individuals and groups. Diversity covers a broad range of differences, many of which are invisible.
Gender and race tend to be the first characteristics that come to mind when someone is introduced to the concept of diversity. Personal beliefs, political ideologies, and socioeconomic status are examples of diversity that aren't necessarily apparent.
People who look alike may, in fact, be incredibly diverse due to differences in life experience.
Studies suggest that increasing diversity on business boards of directors can improve profitability. Diverse groups have broader life experience compared to groups who are relatively similar. This diversity can enhance the creative process and allow solutions to serve more people in better ways.
Inclusion
Increasing diversity is the first step in the process of expanding access. Inclusion is making the effort to ensure that diverse individuals are able to participate fully. Efforts to increase diversity must focus on inclusion or the results may alienate rather than support.
For example, a board of directors, composed entirely of men, may take steps to increase diversity by including a woman on the board.
If the board ignores the newest member, then they've failed to create an inclusive environment around the effort to increase diversity. From the woman's perspective, it can be difficult to bring up conflicting opinions if inclusivity isn't considered intentionally.
Serious introspection and care is required for groups that have historically lacked diversity. Inertia, doing things the way they've always been done, must be overcome. It requires steps that may feel inefficient at the time, like seeking the minority opinion and perspective.
Progress requires understanding the consequences of action and inaction for a variety of people and creating more inclusive environments is a great way to develop that understanding.
Equity
Working to build more inclusive environments is one way to generate equity. Equity is about fairness and doesn't necessarily mean everyone is treated exactly the same way.
An equitable school environment, for a person with a visual impairment, might involve having textbooks with large print. This type of accommodation is better for that person, but wouldn't necessarily be appropriate for others.
On occasion increasing equity can lead to controversy.
When a person in a position of privilege sees additional accommodations for those who don't share in their privilege, it can be difficult to understand why those accommodations are necessary or warranted.
Take, for instance, the student who gets extra time to complete an exam. Another student could, understandably, see this as unfair.
The former student, however, has dyslexia and takes twice as long to read the same material. If this difference isn't appreciated, then the equitable outcome (different time accommodations) will be difficult to accept.
Privilege can mask the reality of those who don't benefit from that privilege, so trust and empathy are major prerequisites for equitable outcomes. Empathy can be built through taking courses like this one and participating in activities like the United Way of Bartholomew County's Poverty Simulation.
These factors force us to make an ongoing, deliberate effort to expand equitable outcomes. More diversity opens the door to inclusive environments and equitable outcomes, but those diverse groups must be invited through that door for progress to be made.
Mobility and Functional Supports
Mobility, the ability to move independently through the world, is one of the most important aspects on independence. When a child first learns to crawl, they're able to explore without an adult's help. When a person loses that mobility, it's invaluable to gain it back through the use of technology.
This section explores some common mobility and functional supports to improve access for individuals with disabilities:
Wheelchairs
Ramps
Elevators
Handicap-Accessible Entrances
Car Lifts
Curb Cuts
Tactile Paving
Walkers
Supine and Prone Standers
Shower Seats
Wheelchairs
One of the universal signs for disability is the wheelchair. It holds a prominent place in many lives and allows people to move freely around the world. Manually-driven wheelchairs have existed for centuries and, potentially, millennia.
Specialized, manual wheelchairs allow for world-class athletes to compete in sports at the Paralympics. From wheelchair basketball to wheelchair fencing, participants showcase their athletic prowess in the same venues as the Olympic games.
To consider the needs of wheelchair users, businesses should understand maneuverability through tight spaces. Restaurants and stores, for example, can improve accessibility by providing at least 36 inches of space to allow a person with a wheelchair to freely move through the space.
With continual improvements in battery technology, some wheelchairs now have self-contained power sources. Electric-powered wheelchairs give the owner the ability to move with the use of a joystick. Advanced wheelchairs include the ability to raise and lower the seat, so users are able to interact comfortably in various settings.
Ramps
Environmental obstacles, like stairs, are difficult or impossible to navigate for individuals who use wheelchairs. A simple solution is using a ramp for access.
Ramps provide a gradual grade which gives a way users of manually-powered and electric wheelchairs to reach entrances and other difficult to access areas.
While entering a particular building might be helped by the use of ramps, exiting the building is just as important. Being able to escape when there's an emergency, like a fire, is just as important for those who use wheelchairs as those who do not.
Ramps around several entrances improve the inclusivity of a place of business while also covering emergency exit situations.
Curb Cuts
An often overlooked accessibility innovation can be found on sidewalks everywhere. Curb cuts are the cutouts in the curb which allows a gradual dip to street level, like a mini, always-present ramp.
The presence and distance of the nearest curb cut is one of the first clues as to whether a place of business has considered accessibility during its construction and planning.
The curb cut is effectively the entrance for a person who uses a wheelchair. When that person must go out of the way to reach a curb cut it can increase frustration whenever they arrive. Note the location of curb cuts for businesses you frequent and you'll have an idea about the location's accessibility level.
Handicap-Accessible Entrances
Another example of a functional support tool that increases access for more than the target population is the handicap-accessible entrance. Individuals who have a short-term need to have easier building access, like parents with small children, enjoy the ease of access provided by these entrances.
Many individuals with physical disabilities have spent their lives figuring out how to navigate inaccessible environments, so having the convenience and realization that their needs were taken into account is appreciated.
Often these are implemented with a large button that, when pressed, opens a door and keeps it open for a certain period of time. With advances in technology, some entrances can open automatically when a person arrives. As is often the case, technical advances can serve everyone even when they were designed for a specific group of people.
Car Lifts
Short distance mobility, provided by the use of wheelchairs, was an incredible innovation. In many American communities, especially outside of large urban areas, the use of a motor vehicle is a necessity of daily life.
The car lift allows a person, who would otherwise have difficulty entering a motor vehicle, to easily enter and situate themselves in a safe manner. In areas where public transportation is common, a mechanism similar to a car lift is available for buses too.
A major aspect of independence is at-will mobility over long distances. Through the use of car lifts and similar equipment, individuals are no longer forced to rely on others to move around their communities.
Elevators
It's easy to forget that technology which increases access for some may increase access for all. The invention of the elevator drastically changed the way cities grew. Rather than being limited by practicality, elevators allowed buildings to extend many stories vertically.
Elevators made towering skyscrapers, like Dubai's Burj Khalifa, possible. Multi-story buildings without elevators, however, are inaccessible to people whose mobility is affected.
From a practical perspective if you're planning to hold a meeting on floor other than ground level, you can improve the event's inclusivity by making sure that everyone will be able to reach the meeting. Planning for inclusion requires minimal effort, but creates an inviting experience for everyone.
Tactile Paving
Those who have poor vision must take in information through other senses. Touch is one of those senses that is easily overlooked by others. Below our feet, the sidewalk contains a subtle clue that caution is required.
When coming to an intersection, you might notice a set of plastic bumps embedded in the concrete of the sidewalk. These bumps are called tactile paving.
Tactile paving informs an individual who have vision issues that they'll soon no longer be on the sidewalk. Without tactile paving a person might walk into traffic and not realize that additional caution should be taken.
There are little enhancements all around us which make the world a safer place. These enhancements, like tactile paving, are low-cost, but provide an incredible service to many people every day.
Walkers
Individuals who don't need to use a wheelchair but still require mobility assistance might use a walker. A walker is a device that allows a person to reduce the amount of bodyweight their legs need to support while still being able to move. Walkers are also often used in physical rehabilitation.
Walkers come in all shapes and sizes, some smaller versions are specifically made for children. Certain walkers include baskets to help transport things that would otherwise need to be carried.
It's common to see walkers that double as a portable seat. Sometimes people will put tennis balls on the legs of walkers to make it easier for them to slide across floors made of hard materials.
Like many other mobility devices, it's important to have an ability to keep a walker in place. Wheel locks, like the emergency brake in a car, provide a way for a user to be sure it will stay in place.
Supine and Prone Standers
In a world where sitting is so common, it's easy to forget the utility of other positions. Long-term sitting can have negative physical effects on the body. Obvious issues, like bed sores, can be avoided through a position change, but other bodily systems benefit as well.
Our digestive system, for example, benefits from being in a standing position. Chronic issues may occur for individuals who spend the majority of their time in a seated position.
To combat these potential problems for individuals who have limited mobility a different piece of adaptive equipment is available, the stander. There are several types of standers which serve individuals with different needs. Supine and prone standers are two examples.
Supine standers provide support for the user's back, while prone standers support a forward lean. A child whose physical disability affects their head control may need to use a supine stander rather than a prone stander, for example.
Shower Seats
The morning shower, one of the first stops on the morning commute, helps clear the fog from the previous night's sleep. When a person wtih a physical disability wishes to take part this simple ritual, an additional tool, called a shower seat, might be needed.
Shower seats allow a person to more easily enter and use the shower. They often have arms that extend outside of the showering area so the person can enter the seat and either be assisted or use their own power to enter the shower.
Businesses which have showers for customers, like hotels and gyms, can create a more inclusive environment by making portable or builtin shower seats available.
Personal care is integral to our daily lives and some relatively simple devices make those activities much more manageable for individuals with disabilities and their families.
Sensory-Friendly Environments
This section will dive deeper into how events can be made more accesible and inclusive for individuals who have heightened sensitivity. You'll learn about each of the traditional five senses and ways that events and locations can be more accommodating.
The section will explore the following senses and includes information about staff training as well:
Sound
2 SightSmell
Touch
Taste
Staff Training
Sound
Accommodating auditory sensitivity includes managing the volume and suddenness of sound. Having volume too high can generate anxiety and it can be equally frustrating for people, who have hearing issues, if the volume is too low. Striking the right balance can make your event or space welcoming to all types.
When planning an event for a particular group, like children who have autism, event planners can make more specific accommodations in coordination with the participants.
Perhaps this takes the form of reducing or eliminating background music, but it can be helpful to consider sudden changes in sounds too. Rather than having background music based on a radio station, that may include sudden changes due to advertising, you may wish to use a playlist with smooth transitions between songs.
Paying closer attention to how sound is incorporated in an environment can set the stage for a more inviting event and, ultimately, a more enjoyable experience for participants.
Sight
Visual stimuli are similar to sounds in that the intensity and frequency of changes can be problematic. Individuals may be sensitive to lights that are too bright, so an environment with dimmed lights can be less irritating. It's important to point out that accommodations need not be expensive to be beneficial.
Another aspect of visual sensitivites, that may not be obvious, is related to colors. Bright colors, common in spaces designed for children, might be too harsh for individuals with visual sensitivities.
When developing work accommodations for a person with color sensitivities, they may benefit from having their office in a different location or repainting the walls.
Flashing lights are another visual stimuli that can cause problems for certain people, like individuals with photosensitive epilepsy who experience seizures due to flashing lights.
Media, like television shows, will include warnings stating that the content may induce seizures. When making environmental changes to accommodate this sensitivity, might involve drawing the shades on windows that overlook busy streets.
Smell
In the realm of smell sensitivities, what's often considered a pleasant scent can, in fact, be the opposite for some people. Locations like bathrooms may use scents to mask odors, but their overuse can be problematic. A simple change that better accommodates individuals with smell sensitivites would be to use unscented soaps in restrooms.
Similarly, fragrances people wear can be the source of issues. If an event is being scheduled to specifically be more sensory-friendly, then staff may forego perfumes and colognes on those days. These habits are easy to overlook, but can make a huge difference for a person who's sensitive.
When designing and planning an environment, explore the scents of the space. Consider the utility of all scents and ensure these choices are intentional rather than coincidental.
Touch
Sensitivity to touch involves a few different aspects of tactile experience. A common example is clothing. With a touch sensitivity, a person may be irritated by types of fabric or stitching found in clothing.
A business owner who requires employees to wear a uniform may choose to have a few different uniform styles to accommodate these needs. Carefully picking the fabric for chairs, for example, might be another area where touch sensitivities can be considered.
Another aspect of touch, that's easy to forget, is the mouthfeel of particular foods. Certain characteristics of food, like its temperature or texture, can be unpleasant to individuals with touch sensitivity.
If food will be part of the environment, then it would be useful to consider the variety of options based on mouthfeel just like you would accommodate other dietary preferences.
Taste
To individuals who have a taste sensitivity, certain foods can be quite unpleasant. Take, for instance, an individual's reaction to cilantro. Some people have a genetic difference which causes cilantro to taste like soap.
A host who's unaware of this relatively common condition would be unable to make simple accommodations, like serving cilantro on the side or removing it from the recipe entirely.
Accommodating individuals with taste sensitivities can take several forms. Offering a wider variety of foods that include several different taste profiles is one option.
Consistency of taste might be one consideration, so rather than providing yogurt with pieces of fruit you might have a plain yogurt option.
If an environment or event might require being present for an extended period of time, then it might be a good idea to allow individuals to bring their own food to the venue.
While this idea may be counterproductive if the business makes money from food sales, it's plausible that an individual with a taste sensitivity might bring friends or family members who would prefer the convenience of purchasing food.
Staff Training
Environmental changes can help make spaces more inviting, but the work doesn't stop there.
Intentional staff training about sensory sensitivities can make the difference between a sensory-friendly enviornment and one that misses the mark.
It can be difficult to understand these types of sensitivities when a staffperson hasn't experienced it themselves. That's why training is so beneficial, it's a non-urgent introduction that expands awareness. Regular reminders and training about these topics can help staff retain these valuable lessons.
Another useful exercise to consider is an audit of a particular space. Reaching out to community members who have special sensitivities can produce a win-win for a business, a more accommodating environment makes a return visit for a customer far more likely.
The Arc of Bartholomew County is eager to help businesses create more inclusive environments and would be happy to provide training in areas like sensory-friendly environment design.
Online Accessibility
Accessing online information is becoming more and more important. Many jobs require the use of a computer and internet and this trend doesn't seem to be slowing down.
Given the necessity of digital interaction, congress has passed laws to make sure individuals who need to use the internet differently will be able to access and understand information provided on websites.
This section will explore some of those technologies, ways websites can be more accessible, and some common issues that individuals face when using inaccessible websites:
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)
Web Accessibility Initiative - Accessible Rich Internet Applications (WAI-ARIA)
Accessibility Plugins
Keyboard Accessibility: Tab Order, Skip Links, and Keyboard Traps
Audio and Video Accessibility: Transcriptions; Subtitles and Closed Captioning; and Described Audio
Flashing Lights
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG)
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) are a group of standards developed to provide information about making websites more accessible. The standard is continuously evolving as new technologies are developed.
Mobile accessibility, for example, is becoming more important as the proportion of people who access the internet through mobile devices increases.
WCAG version 2.0 and version 2.1 are divided into four principles, which are further subdivided into guidelines and success criteria. The principles are as follows:
"Perceivable - Information and user interface components must be presentable to users in ways they can perceive."
"Operable - User interface components and navigation must be operable."
"Understandable - Information and the operation of user interface must be understandable."
"Robust - Content must be robust enough that it can be interpreted reliably by a wide variety of user agents, including assistive technologies."
Learn more about WCAG at the following website: https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/wcag/
Web Accessibility Initiative - Accessible Rich Internet Applications (WAI-ARIA)
Web Accessibility Initiative - Accessible Rich Internet Applications (WAI-ARIA) is another set of standards that evolved from changes to how websites are built. In the past, dynamic websites were uncommon in favor of static websites, websites which were essentially unchanging.
Currently, websites commonly rely heavily on dynamic functionality. An example of this is the infinite scrolling feature found on many social media websites and mobile applications.
These new, dynamic websites didn't work well with accessibility tools like screenreaders. The WAI-ARIA standard was developed, in part, to improve the accessibility of the new generation of web technologies.
For example, identifying a particular section of a website as a navigation menu allows screenreaders to understand developer intent. This allows developers to build more accessible websites without drastically increasing development effort.
The WAI-ARIA standards can be found at the following website: https://www.w3.org/WAI/standards-guidelines/aria/
Accessibility Plugins
Businesses can improve accessibility through the use of accessibility plugins. Accessibility plugins are pieces of software that are included on websites to help make them more accessible.
These tools provide common options to make websites more accessible like adjusting text spacing and sizing and including different color contrast options.
While not a perfect substitute for having an accessible website, it covers many use cases and can be a valuable alternative for companies who wish to provide better access while still controlling spending.
Typically these are low-cost or even free. One example that The Arc of Bartholomew County uses is Userway, found at: https://www.userway.org/
Keyboard Accessibility: Tab Order, Skip Links, and Keyboard Traps
Many people navigate websites by using a mouse to point and click on various aspects of a webpage. Individuals who have difficulty with fine motor processing may be unable to easily use a mouse. For these individuals, navigating websites with a keyboard is the preferable alternative.
One important navigational tool when using the keyboard is the tab key. The tab key allows a user to cycle through and interact with different web elements without requiring a mouse.
There's an inherent order to the way interactive elements are cycled. This is known as the tab order.
If the tab order isn't designed explicity, a user might require a large number of tab clicks before they get to the most important content. This can frustrate visitors and cause them to go elsewhere.
On websites with lots of information, special shortcuts called skip links, might be developed so users can skip to main content more quickly.
Another issue faced by non-mouse users is the keyboard trap. It can take a few forms, but one involves being unable to access an important part of the website via keyboard commands alone.
Another keyboard trap occurs when a person cycles through certain elements, but cannot get back to the main navigation, for instance.
Sites that fail to take into account different types of users miss an opportunity to delight a significant portion of the population.
Audio and Video Accessibility: Transcriptions; Subtitles and Closed Captioning; and Described Audio
Improving audio (and video) accessibility can occur in several ways. A simple way to enhance understanding of this content is through the use of transcriptions.
To transcribe audio or video means that words are included, essentially verbatim, as text. Without transcription (or subtitles), a person who is hard-of-hearing cannot access the media in question.
Subtitles and closed captioning are similar to transcription in the sense that they provide a textual reference to audio information.
Subtitles are most often used when the viewer doesn't understand the language in use. Closed captions are typically in the same language of the audio, but include references to non-language sounds, like doors creaking or cars starting.
Lastly, subtitles and closed captions are shown piecemeal, appearing and disappearing at approximately the same time as the action is occurring in the audio or video media.
A less commonly known method of enhancing audio and video accessibility is called described audio.
Described audio track is like closed captioning in the sense that it provides additional non-language information, but it serves a different target audience.
Individuals who are blind miss visual cues in movie and television shows, so described audio includes this information alongside character dialogue.
Described audio might explain a character's facial expressions or actions they're taking which affect the outcome of the current situation.
Flashing Lights
As mentioned in the visual sensitivity section, flashing lights can cause problems for certain groups of people, specifically those with photosensitive epilepsy.
Websites and images that use flashing lights can be minor annoyance to some and pose a serious health issues to others. With the rise in popularity of using mobile devices to access the internet, people might experience these seizures (caused by the use of flashing lights) in public spaces.
When flashing lights are included on a website or in a piece of art, warnings should be provided ahead of time. A person who is informed of a potential hazardous situation can take steps to avoid the problem.
On websites, including "click-to-reveal" functionality helps mitigate the potential issues while miniziming the barrier to viewing for those who are unaffected by flashing lights.
Important Policy
Rules and laws reduce and manage interpersonal conflicts. These conflicts may take the form of person versus person or institution versus person or group of people.
As is often the case, it takes longer for the rights of minorities to be recognized when the majority is powerful. Just like the extraordinary efforts required to legally establish civil rights for individuals minority races and genders, civil rights for individuals with disabilities has followed a similar path.
The following section will explore important policy instrumental to this ongoing effort:
Social Security Act of 1935
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Section 504
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA)
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)
Social Security Act of 1935
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt (FDR) introduced the Social Security Act alongside other New Deal programs in the 1930s.
The Social Security Act established safety nets for elderly individuals, people experiencing unemployment, and low-income families. It has been expanded several times since its inception, creating major government programs that benefit individuals with disabilities.
Many of the most valuable social programs were established by the Social Security Act. Title XVI of the Social Security Act created Supplemental Security Income (SSI) provisions, a program that provides income for low-income individuals with disabilities.
In 1965, the Social Security Act was amended to include two additional programs that drastically changed the healthcare landscape in the United States.
Title XVIII introduced Medicare, government supported healthcare primarily for those aged 65 and older, while Title XIX established Medicaid, which provides health insurance benefits mainly for low-income individuals.
Rehabilitation Act of 1973
The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is a major piece of legislation securing the civil rights of individuals with disabilities.
It deals primarily with discrimination, due to disability, in activities related to the federal government. It's split into several sections with each section addressing a different area where discrimination may occur.
Section 501 relates to direct employees in federally funded positions or agencies, like the postal services. Contractors and subcontractors to the federal government are covered under Section 503.
Programs and activities which receive federal funding are covered under Section 504, this includes the public education system. Finally, Section 508 created rules around communication used by the federal government specifically ensuring that technology must be accessible for individuals with disabilities.
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA)
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) regulates the privacy and sharing of an individual's educational records. This legislation changes the requirements around privacy when individuals turn 18. At that age, the young adult has the option to not consent to parental viewing of his or her educational records.
While one might expect the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) to be more relevant for health information, there's a special "FERPA exception" mentioned in its contents.
This exception indicates that FERPA legislates the sharing of medical information in certain situations, like when a person is pursuing a course of study at a postsecondary institution.
Students who receive therapy or are afforded certain accommodations can, with a few exceptions, decide whether to share that type of information with staff members.
More directly, receiving an accommodation doesn't mean that the professor, for example, must know the student's medical information. The student, according to FERPA, can determine if sharing this information is necessary and appropriate.
Further information about FERPA can be found on the Department of Education's website: https://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
In 1975, the Education for All Handicapped Children, later known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), was signed into law. Concepts introduced with IDEA are the right to "free appropriate education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment (LRE)."
Like other policy in this section, IDEA was and is a significant civil rights law for individuals with disabilities. Throughout the decades, the law has been amended several times to take into account new research on the development of individuals with disabilities.
Progress in this area allows more children to be included in the public education system leading to better outcomes than were available in the past.
The Department of Education maintains a page detailing IDEA where you can learn more about this legislation: https://sites.ed.gov/idea/
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law in 1990. In many ways, the ADA expands the ideas from previous policy measures into new areas and enhances the protections provided.
This law is split into five sections. Title I details protections related to employment for individuals with disabilities. Title II covers discrimination in relation to public entities which include public schools, transportation, and housing.
Next, Title III accounts for public accommodations and commercial facilities. This section establishes the requirement that new construction must comply with certain guidelines.
Title IV relates to telecommunication and requires technology to accommodate individuals who would otherwise have difficulty using telephone systems.
Finally, Title V includes miscellaneous, relevant policy like imposing anti-retaliation measures.
In 2008, the ADA was amended by the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA). Functionally, the ADAAA modified and expanded the definition of disability.
This effectively countered the tendency of courts to focus on a person's disability status rather than determining if that person was discriminated against.
The homepage for the ADA is the following: https://www.ada.gov/
Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA)
The Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) replaced the Workforce Investment Act of 1998, amended the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and amended or replaced a number of other pieces of legislation.
WIOA was brought before congress in 2013, indicating that policy related to disability continues to evolve in the new millenium.
This legislation was created to improve employment opportunities for several groups including the unemployed, underemployed, those who would benefit from additional training and education, and individuals with disabilities.
As it relates specifically to individuals with disabilities, WIOA expanded the Vocational Rehabilitiation (VR) program both in the types of services provided and the population of individuals who are eligible for those services.
It also included provisions for pre-employment transition services (Pre-ETS). Pre-ETS allows students who have an Individualized Education Program (IEP) or 504 Plan to utilize services to help them gain and retain employment following participation in secondary education.
Learn more about WIOA at the Department of Labor's website: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/wioa/
