ALA | Rehab Act

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Federal Law – The Rehabilitation Act

The second federal law affecting accessibility in libraries is The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, P.L. 93-112 (Rehab Act). The Rehab Act is a landmark bill designed to safeguard the rights of persons with disabilities in federal programs. The Act was reauthorized in 1992 to bring the law into compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, and later amended in 1998 to add provisions concerning accessible electronic technology.

The first section of the Rehab Act relevant to libraries is Section 504, which prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities by any program or activity that receives federal financial assistance. By definition, Section 504 applies to most public schools, to the extent that they receive federal funds, and to many public libraries as well. For those affected libraries, Section 504 requires that "reasonable accommodations," including library modifications and the adaptation of library materials, be provided for patrons with disabilities.

The other relevant section of the Rehab Act is Section 508, which was an amendment to the Rehab Act enacted in 1998 to improve the accessibility of electronic and information technology in federal agencies and programs. Specifically, Section 508 aims to ensure that federal employees and members of the public seeking federal information or services have as much access to the electronic and information technology as their non-disabled peers. Specifically, Section 508 governs the purchase of new electronic and information technology such as computers, software and copiers. Although Section 508 applies only to federal departments and agencies and does not directly impact most library systems, some federal grant programs may impose Section 508 rules on grant recipients. Additionally, many public libraries are subject to state- adopted versions of Section 508. Those state laws will be addressed in another tutorial. Most importantly, the federal regulations and guidelines issued in connection with Section 508 can serve as a guideline for libraries in assessing the accessibility of their programs, technologies, and services, and can inform library technology purchasing decisions.

Further information:

Access Board:
http://www.access-board.gov

Section 504:
http://www.access-board.gov/enforcement/Rehab-Act-text/intro.htm
Section 508:
http://www.section508.gov

Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility
Guidelines:
http://www.access-board.gov/sec508/508standards.htm