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The integration of disabled students in to college and university environments at levels of access and service comparable to those available to non disabled students requires staff training, facilities improvements, and curricula reform, all of which are both costly and controversial (McGuinness, 1993, p. 23). Student affairs departments and student services sections within those departments will bear responsibility for a substantial part of this effort. The first step that must be taken by student affairs sections in this context is to become cognizant of and familiar with the issues involved.
Three research questions are investigated. These research questions are as follows:
1. What does the ADA require of colleges and universities with respect to disabled students?
2. What actions must student services sections take to satisfy the ADA requirements?
3. What are colleges and universities doing in the contemporary period to serve disabled students?
The United States appears to moving in a direction wherein almost every member of the population will eventually be able to state that they are disabled in one way or another. Already stupidity is broadly classified as a disability, and colleges and universities are addressing this issue with so-called remedial classes to attempt to teach such students material they should have acquired in the secondary or lower levels of the educational system. Regardless of the absurdity of this trend, major changes of direction are not on the horizon. Therefore, student services sections must prepare to deal with an ever increasing proportion of disabled students who demand and are legally entitled to special services.
A study was described that examines the issues associated with the integration of disabled students into college and university environments. Background information on the topic of the examination was provided, the problem to be investigated was stated, resea...