Assistive Technology Obligations for Postsecondary Education Institutions

When the Americans with Disabilities Act passed in 1990, it was estimated that 43 million Americans were living with a disability. This number continues to grow. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, there are now over 54 million Americans who have a disability. There also has been an increase is the number of students with disabilities attending postsecondary education institutions. Assistive technologies are making postsecondary education a realized dream for many students with disabilities. They make simple tasks, such as taking class notes or doing library research, possible for such students. Postsecondary institutions have special legal obligations toward their students with disabilities. These obligations stem from various federal and state disability rights laws. This article examines the inextricable connections between assistive technologies, postsecondary institutions, and disability rights laws.