Section 504 Regulations on Accessibility

Components and Definitions

When passed by Congress in 1973, the first three titles of the Rehabilitation Act provided for a wide range of vocational rehabilitation services, including research and training, and outlined federal responsibilities. The fourth title established the National Council on the Handicapped, which became an independent federal agency in 1984 known as the National Council on Disability, responsible for advising the president, Congress, and other U.S. federal agencies regarding programs, practices, and policies affecting individuals with disabilities.

The act's fifth title addressed miscellaneous provisions and included four key segments. Section 501 prohibited discrimination against the disabled by the federal government. Section 502 targeted reduction of mobility barriers for disabled individuals in public places. Section 503 prevented discrimination against the disabled by government contractors. Section 504 barred federally funded programs from discriminating against individuals with disabilities. The final two titles of the Rehabilitation Act, Titles 6 and 7, dealt with employment opportunities and independent-living services for the disabled.

The original definition of a disabled person in the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 included only individuals who had a physical or mental impairment resulting in a significant hindrance to employment, and who could reasonably be expected to gain employability advantage as a result of vocational rehabilitation services as provisioned under the first three titles of the act. However, in 1974, Congress amended the Rehabilitation Act under Section 504 to expand the definition of a disabled individual beyond the specific employment scope.

The broader definition identified a disabled person as someone who is regarded as having a physical or mental impairment that significantly limits one or more major life activities, which may include anything from seeing or walking to learning or breathing. Essentially, any limitation that debilitates one's independent living or inclusion in U.S. society could be considered a disability under the expanded definition. The amendment was intended to ensure that federally funded programs are operated without discrimination against any disabled individual, not just those whose disability affects their employment status or experience.

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