Driver´s Ed (Reasonable Accommodation)

The Regulation: Its interpretation of regulations and policy as it relates to Driver´s Education classes.

"Under Section 504 (CFR Section 104.37) and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), if the course is offered by the public high school, the school district is obligated to get the equipment the student needs for the course, if the student has a disability requiring such, like a student with dwarfism or a student using a wheelchair, who may need extensions, hand-controls, etc.

They should try to provide adaptations to the regular driver´s education course instead of paying for the student to attend a special needs driver´s ed course, unless that´s what the student actually needs (as opposed to what is easier for the school.) The student can only be charged the same fees every other student there is charged is charged for driver´s education.

If the driver´s education course occurs at the high school, but is run by a private firm, which distributes fliers through the school, etc., the private driving school is obligated under Title III of the ADA to make reasonable modifications. And, if the firm refuses to do so, then the school district is violating Section 504 and Title II if it continues to allow the firm to operate a course at the school, because the school district is not allowed to support or do business with an organization that is violating ADA.

Section 504 and Title II in schools and colleges are enforced by the US Dept of Education, Office for Civil Rights. The regional office which handles Ohio is in Cleveland, 216-522-4970."

http://www.ed.gov/offices/OCR is the general Office for Civil Rights site.

Who Should I List on the Form?

Be sure to list ALL of your doctors on the SSI form--even if you don´t think that they are important. This will save a lot of time for you or your representative at future steps in the process.

Do I Qualify?

Remember, not everyone will qualify for Social Security benefits. You must either be age eligible or disabled and unable to work.

Disability WebLinks

Disability WebLinks is an online resource of government departments, agencies, boards, and commissions for people with disabilities. It provides information on a variety of topics including accessibility, employment, financial support, rights, tax programs and much more.

For more information, please visit: www.disabilityweblinks.ca

I Want to Work

On July 26, 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) became law. Title I of the ADA is designed to ensure equal employment opportunity for people with disabilities and covers all private sector employers with 15 or more employees (companies with federal contracts are also covered by Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973-see Appendix B). The ADA requires employers to carefully review their hiring practices and take specific actions to be sure they do not deny equal employment opportunities to qualified people with disabilities. For an overview of this law, see Appendix A.

This tip can be found at: Preface. . . The Law

The Americans With Disabilities Act

Every American should know and read The Americans With Disabilities Act:

This document contains scoping and technical requirements for accessibility to buildings and facilities by individuals with disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. These scoping and technical requirements are to be applied during the design, construction, and alteration of buildings and facilities covered by titles II and III of the ADA to the extent required by regulations issued by Federal agencies, including the Department of Justice and the Department of Transportation, under the ADA.

For more on this act go to: The Americans With Disabilities Act

Where to Get Help

Do you often wonder where to turn when you need help in defending your "Rights"? Well, look no further. Follow these links and find your answers:


The Nation´s Disability Rights Network

The Americans with Disabilities Act and the ordinary citizen:

and

Disability and Business Technical Assistance Centers (DBTACs)

What Should I Do First?

The first thing you need to do when you find out that you will no longer be able to work is contact the Social Security Office and set up an appointment. This will get the process in motion for you.

You Have the Right To Work

No matter what your handicap, you have the right to fair work policies. It is important that you know what these are and what you can do to insure that your basic rights are being met.

Be Patient

The first tip that I am going to give you is to be patient in your quest. That is going to be your most difficult challenge.

You are in need of assistance now and they never seem to understand that. The process takes up to a year and sometimes more and there is just no getting around that.

Do not make the mistake of giving up. This will only prolong matters and make it worse.