The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights have released a webinar aimed at improving accessibility in school facilities for students and teachers with disabilities. The webinar, titled “Accessible Public Schools,” was developed in response to a 2020 U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report which highlighted significant accessibility barriers in K-12 public school buildings.
“It is critical that students with disabilities, and family members, friends, neighbors, teachers and staff with disabilities, are able to access school buildings for learning as well as extracurricular activities and community events,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Justice Department is committed to using all available tools, including enforcement of the Americans with Disabilities Act, to increase accessibility in school buildings. It is equally important that school district personnel have ready access to tools and information, like this webinar, to understand their obligations under the law.”
Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Catherine E. Lhamon of the Department of Education emphasized the necessity of accessible schools: “More than 50 years after the enactment of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and thirty years after the enactment of the ADA, students with disabilities should not still encounter barriers in their public schools. The Office for Civil Rights hopes resources like this webinar, in conjunction with vigorous enforcement, will ensure accessibility to school buildings for all students with disabilities and their families.”
The GAO report recommended that guidance on K-12 school accessibility issues be created by the Justice Department in consultation with the Department of Education. The newly released webinar features a Justice Department Architect who outlines common accessibility problems identified in schools along with solutions.
The webinar can be accessed at https://youtu.be/M5F0IzIjYAk. For more information on ADA compliance, individuals can contact the Justice Department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 1-800-514-0301 (TTY 1-833-610-1264) or visit www.ada.gov. Additional details about disability discrimination work by the Office for Civil Rights can be found at www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/frontpage/pro-students/issues/disability-issue.html.