Rehabilitation Act of 1973, § 504

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 states: "No otherwise qualified individual with a disability in the United States ... shall, solely by reason of his or her disability, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance." Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act contains similar language.

When students attend college they need to be aware that IDEA, which provided them with special education programs throughout their years in public school, no longer applies. The responsibility shifts from the system to the student.

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Title II

This law re-emphasizes many elements of § 504. However, individuals who may not have been covered under § 504, may now possibly be covered under the ADA.