High School and College Rules Differ

The movement from secondary to post-secondary education for students with disabilities involves significant changes in applicable laws and legal rights and responsibilities. In high school, most students with disabilities have been provided services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) which is a funding statute requiring schools to identify students with special needs and to provide services (special education) for students with disabilities. IDEA does not apply to post secondary education.

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and the Americans with Disability Act apply to both secondary education and post secondary education settings. These statutes are civil rights (non-discrimination) statutes and require the provision of reasonable accommodations for equal access to services and programs for qualified students.

The following pages provide a summary of the major legal differences between high school and college that students with disabilities need to understand.

For further information about services for students with disabilities at UMass Lowell, contact Disability Services. You may also with to consult the extensive legal information about disability and higher education available from the Council on Law in Higher Education.