Institutions of higher education, and more specifically residence halls within colleges and universities, pride themselves in offering and embracing a diverse community of students. A growing number of students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are attending college and choosing to live on campus. While many are able to do so successfully, some…

A recently filed lawsuit in Compton, California ("Peter P. et al. v. Compton Unified School District," 2015) has been making national news. The lawsuit highlights the prevalence of trauma exposure, particularly among underserved youth, as well as the need for school-wide, trauma-informed practices to enhance resiliency among students and…

Disabilities are commonly conceptualized in dualistic ways--specifically as mental or physical in nature and as located in the self rather than in the "other" or "out there." In this essay I reflect on the consequences of a more holistic understanding of both handicaps and special education. This new approach, I suggest, would…

Psychological disorders lead to functional limitations that can impact a student's performance in school. These students are eligible for accommodations if they can demonstrate that a specific disability exists and that it substantially limits one or more major life activity. The most common functional limitations reported by this population…

This article reviews provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 as they apply to persons with dyslexia, outlines a procedure through which the employer and employee negotiate accommodations, and offers examples of typical workplace problems and corresponding modifications. Talents and strengths associated with dyslexia are…

This booklet provides information on the critical issues involved in providing academic adjustments in a college or university setting for students with psychiatric disabilities. It begins with a brief description of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Information is then presented in a question…

This issue brief examines strategies that states can use to help welfare recipients with learning disabilities move toward self-sufficiency within the context of welfare reform. It defines a learning disability, explains approaches to identifying and assessing undiagnosed learning disabilities, and suggests ways to secure accommodations for…

This resource guide presents general information about disabilities and summaries of relevant federal laws. A question-and-answer format is used to highlight key features of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (Public Law 94-142, reauthorized in 1990 as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act); Section 504 of the Rehabilitation…