Lawmakers Call For Full Funding of IDEA
Disability Scoop
With a new legislative proposal, members of Congress are reviving a plan to boost federal spending on special education.
Under a bill introduced this month in the U.S. House of Representatives that has bipartisan support, federal funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) would increase over the next 10 years to ultimately reach what is known as full funding.
When Congress first passed the IDEA more than four decades ago, the federal government promised to pay 40 percent of the cost of educating students with disabilities. However, that has never happened. Currently, federal funding stands at just 15.7 percent with states and localities picking up the rest of the tab. The proposal calls for incrementally raising that percentage each year until reaching the 40 percent threshold in 2027.
Shielding Teacher From Unruly Students Not ADA Reasonable Accommodation
JD Supra
Sometimes employers face requests for reasonable accommodation that do not cost much, but which would materially interfere with the employee’s ability to get their work done. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), an undue hardship can be based on such interference as well as cost. This principle was recently recognized in an ADA case from the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals.
In Brown v. Milwaukee Bd. of School Dir., the plaintiff was an assistant principal who suffered a workplace injury to her knee. Her doctor cleared her to return to work with the condition that she not be in the vicinity of potentially unruly students. Because virtually all students have the ability to be unruly at times, the school district declined this request, and terminated the plaintiff after it was unable to locate a suitable alternative position for her. She sued, claiming failure to provide a reasonable accommodation under the ADA.
Consulting firm finds niche helping web developers overcome obstacles for physically disabled
Star Tribune
Surfing the Web is an entirely different experience for someone with a physical disability. Something as simple as buying an outfit online or sending messages to co-workers can be challenging on many sites and Web applications for someone who can't see the screen or has trouble moving a mouse.
"It's pretty rare for me to go to a website and not encounter any accessibility issues," said Aaron Cannon, a website developer who is legally blind.
Last fall, Cannon seized an opportunity to change how the disabled experience the Internet when he and several others started a Minneapolis consulting group that helps companies and their web developers make their sites more accessible.
The company, called Accessible360, audits and tests websites to determine how accessible they are and recommends improvements.
Level Access (formerly SSB BART Group) announced a new endorsement by the American Bankers Association, through its subsidiary, the Corporation for American Banking. The suite of products offered by Level Access helps financial institutions test, fix, and maintain their websites and mobile apps to ensure they are compliant with accessibility standards and accessible to users with disabilities. The ABA chose Level Access after a lengthy review process, citing the company's history in—and single focus on—digital accessibility.
Level Access CEO and Founder, Tim Springer, said, "Online banking is a great convenience for all, but for many people with disabilities, it can be a critical service that allows them to stay independent. We are delighted to partner with the American Bankers Association to help its members achieve more accessible websites and mobile apps."