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Who is disabled under the law?

Disability Services

Under the law, a person with a disability includes any individual who:

• Has a physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more of such person's life activities;
• Has a record of such an impairment; or
• Is regarded as having such impairment.

A "qualified person with a disability" is defined as one who meets the requisite academic and technical standards required for admission or participation in the institution's programs or activities. The law protects the civil rights of individuals with disabilities who are qualified to participate.

Elmhurst College provides program accessibility and reasonable accommodations for persons defined as disabled in Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.

Many students who have operated under an IEP in high school will discover that testing and accommodations are different at the collegiate level.  For instance, adult norms are used to interpret testing results.  Likewise, a reasonable accommodation may be extended time for test-taking, but the law does not require colleges to modify the contents of exams.

For your information: IDEA /ADA Comparison Chart (pdf)