Creating a Program Within a Culture of Inclusion

Abstract

Federal laws prohibit discrimination of persons with disabilities and require institutions to create transparent and informed processes to determine reasonable accommodations. The law, however, does not give guidance as to how an institution should create and implement disability inclusion processes, including how to process student requests. This lack of guidance can lead to legal liability for an institution and can lead to significant barriers for students with disabilities. Thoughtful analysis of pre-existing disability services and targeted strategies for establishment of new offices/services will help to mitigate these issues and will help to expand the definition of diversity while leading to greater success for students and for the institution as a whole.