Serving Student-Athletes with Disabilities

Rehab Act

Rehab Regs. Mainstreaming required – Schools must ensure participation of SWD to “maximum extent appropriate” Provision of equal opportunity – Schools shall provide “to qualified handicapped students an equal opportunity for participation.” Creation of adapted programs encouraged

OCR Letter Integrated Programs: – Clarifies when and how schools must include students with disabilities in mainstream athletic programs Reasonable Accommodation Equal Treatment: – Defines what true equal treatment of student athletes with disabilities means Access to participation without regard to disability Adapted Programs – Encourages and provides a road map for schools to create adapted programs for students with disabilities (i.e. wheelchair basketball)

OCR Letter What Inclusion is Required? Reasonable Accommodations Accommodations are reasonable where they do not: a. Alter an essential aspect of the game, or -(i.e. constant contact wrestling) b. Create a competitive advantage -i.e. 1 hand touch in swimming Reasonableness determined by Individualized Assessments

Next Steps Survey the Landscape Existing participation Data collection Develop Policies and Procedures Individualized Assessment process Education of coaches and students Infrastructure for Disability Emerging Sports

NCAA Student-Athletes with Disabilities Subcommittee - Current Priorities Data collection: -How many students on campus have disabilities? -How many students with disabilities participating in sports? Create glossary of disability-related terms for membership as means of further educating on the issues. Provide suggestion and guidance for membership as to how to add disability inclusive language within athletics policies.

NCAA Student-Athletes with Disabilities Subcommittee - Current Priorities Further development of a larger communication plan to the NCAA membership on updates, key issues and expectations regarding serving student-athletes with disabilities. Add ad hoc subcommittee members. Feature the inclusion of student-athletes with disabilities across NCAA mediums (e.g., “Membership Perspective” section of NCAA Champion Magazine). Further assessment of communication accessibility to ensure effective access to information is available for all within the membership (e.g., closed captioning and interpretation services).

Questions/Comments