Washington Post: What happens when special needs learners go to college?

[shawbridge]

<p>toadstool, I’m not an expert on this, but on this link [Stonehill</a> College - Legal 101](<a href=“http://www.stonehill.edu/x11769.xml]Stonehill”>http://www.stonehill.edu/x11769.xml) reports that, </p>

<p>

On September 25, 2008, the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 was signed into law by President Bush. The Act, which is effective January 1, 2009, expands the scope of disabilities covered under the ADA.

and affects employment as well as student disabilities. As far as I can tell (and I’m not an expert), it affects private employers as well as public agencies and schools. The reason for this law was that Congress was unhappy with the very narrow interpretation the Supreme Court had given to the ADA and this law explicitly says, “Here’s what we meant so you the Supremes can’t change it.” From the slides linked to by this link, the law as amended:</p>

<p>

• Requires employers with 15 or more employees to provide qualified individuals with disabilities an equal opportunity to benefit from the full range of employment‐related opportunities available to others.
• It prohibits discrimination in recruitment, hiring, promotions, training, pay, social activities, and other privileges of employment.
• It restricts questions that can be asked about an applicant’s disability before a job offer is made, and it requires that employers make reasonable accommodation to the known physical or mental limitations of otherwise qualified individuals with disabilities, unless it results in undue hardship.

</p>

<p>I think the big issue is how they define reasonable accommodation, but it seems pretty clear that ADD/LDs do fall under the law. In particular, look at slides 15 and 16 of <a href=“http://www.stonehill.edu/Documents/General%20Counsel/legal101/Final%20ADAAA%20Powerpoint%20print.pdf[/url]”>http://www.stonehill.edu/Documents/General%20Counsel/legal101/Final%20ADAAA%20Powerpoint%20print.pdf&lt;/a&gt;. Moreover, it seems clear that this applies to private businesses as well as schools and public agencies. Companies other than really small ones have always been subject to the ADA and this new act just expands the definition of disabilities and the scope of the ADA.</p>

[toadstool]

<p>Another reason to never grow a business beyond 15 employees.</p>

[wildchartermage]

<p>Robogirl, good for you! I think that is something we should encourage in disabled students who are trying to be more independent. I was born deaf and wear Cochlear Implant, so I had to use accommodations in public schools. I went mainstream when I was in 3rd grade. I’ve had some people who didn’t expect highly of me to perform academically well. But I’ve went and disproved those people, finally culminating with an acceptance to MIT early action (Yes, you read it right. THE Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where I will go this fall). I think disabled individuals who are definitely capable of reaching their potential should be given a high expectations and more encouragement/opportunities so I’m thinking about becoming a some kind of mentor or tutor for disabled middle school and high school students in Boston area in order to encourage them to consider a career in math and science if they are capable once I’m at MIT. So, what do you think, guys? Is there some kind of formal organization like this in Boston or nationwide?</p>