Information and video tutorials to help teachers and students take advantage of built-in features, apps and extensions on a variety of devices to support a personalized and accessible reading experience for everyone.

This document is a revised version of a document originally developed by the Chicago Office of the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) in the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to clarify the requirements of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (Section 504) in the area of public elementary and secondary education. The primary purpose of these revisions is to incorporate information about the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008 (Amendments Act), effective January 1, 2009, which amended the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and included a conforming amendment to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 that affects the meaning of disability in Section 504. The Amendments Act broadens the interpretation of disability. The Amendments Act does not require ED to amend its Section 504 regulations. ED’s Section 504 regulations as currently written are valid and OCR is enforcing them consistent with the Amendments Act. In addition, OCR is currently evaluating the impact of the Amendments Act on OCR’s enforcement responsibilities under Section 504 and Title II of the ADA, including whether any changes in regulations, guidance, or other publications are appropriate. The revisions to this Frequently Asked Questions document do not address the effects, if any, on Section 504 and Title II of the amendments to the regulations implementing the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) that were published in the Federal Register at 73 Fed. Reg. 73006 (December 1, 2008).

The purpose of this brief is to help families and educators understand the right of students with disabilities who need accessible educational materials to receive these materials in a timely manner. This right is based on provisions in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), as well as in the disability civil rights statutes Section 504 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

This report is submitted under Section 203(b)(1) of the Department of Education Organization Act of 1979, Pub. L. No. 96–88, which provides: “The Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights shall make an annual report to the Secretary, the President, and the Congress summarizing the compliance and enforcement activities of the Office for Civil Rights and identifying significant civil rights or compliance problems as to which such Office has made a recommendation for corrective action and as to which, in the judgment of the Assistant Secretary, adequate progress is not being made.” 20 U.S.C. §3413(b)(1

The mission of the Assistive Technology Act Technical Assistance and Training Center (AT3) is to increase access to and acquisition of assistive technologies by individuals with disabilities across the lifespan.

The Assistive Technology Act Training and Technical Assistance Center(AT3/AT3 Center) is a project funded under grant award # 90ATTA0001 by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Community Living (ACL). AT3 provides technical assistance and supports to State Assistive Technology (AT) Programs funded under Section 4 of the Assistive Technology Act of 1998, as amended (P.L. 108-364). The AT3 Center is a sponsored project of the Association of Assistive Technology Act Programs (ATAP) The information on this website does not necessarily reflect the position or policy of ACL, and no official endorsement should be inferred.

Resources to help educators enhance and enrich their teaching with accessible videos that include captions and/or audio description.

The UDL Guidelines are a tool used in the implementation of Universal Design for Learning, a framework to improve and optimize teaching and learning for all people based on scientific insights into how humans learn. Learn more about the Universal Design for Learning framework from CAST. The UDL Guidelines can be used by educators, curriculum developers, researchers, parents, and anyone else who wants to implement the UDL framework in a learning environment. These guidelines offer a set of concrete suggestions that can be applied to any discipline or domain to ensure that all learners can access and participate in meaningful, challenging learning opportunities.

A set of questions that can be used to evaluate the accessibility of materials considered for procurement.

AEM for Inclusion session #2 with Jennifer SouthSession Description: This AEM session will review the meaning of accessibility, and look at why standard formats can create barriers for certain learners. In contrast, we will outline and explore the basic accessible formats. Ideally, educators would provide materials that their students can access, but when that doesn’t happen, learners need a solution. Additionally, some accessible formats may require the use of an assistive technology tool to allow the student to fully interact with the materials being presented. This session will focus on free or low-cost accessible technology tools available on a variety of devices and platforms. Having the right tool for the task can mean the difference in a student’s meaningful and successful participation in their education!

Rebecca Arce, Inclusion and Equity Specialist | HECC-Higher Ed Coordinating Commission | Felicia Arce, Disabilities Coordinator | Disability Resource Center (DRC) | Clackamas Community College

Georgeann HartyLow Incidence Disabilities SpecialistOregon Department of EducationOffice of Enhancing Student Opportunities | Debra FitzgibbonsCoordinator, Oregon Technology Access Programand Regional and Statewide Services for Students with Orthopedic ImpairmentDouglas ESD | Session Description: This introductory AEM session builds a foundation for understanding the meaning of Accessible Educational Materials and how they support inclusion of all learners, across the lifespan.Timely provision of AEM, Accessible Educational Materials ensures learners with disabilities can get the same information, engage in meaningful participation, and enjoy the same services as non-disabled students, with the same ease of use. This session will establish common vocabulary, discuss the POUR Principles and reference relevant state and national legislation that pertains to AEM.It is never too early to help learners explore and discover what works for them. They will grow to advocate for these tools that lead to independence. When we make these choices available to all learners, no one stands out. Intentional planning, conversations and collaborations ensure we ask ourselves “Who am I leaving out?”