Supporting Individuals with Disabilities

NEA supports the protections that all individuals with disabilities—both visible and invisible—are entitled to under the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. Individuals with disabilities include persons of all ages who have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. Although we don’t think of asthma or diabetes as a disability, individuals with such medical conditions and other non-apparent disabilities deserve the same consideration and protection under federal law.

Students with disabilities may or may not be eligible for special education services, as outlined in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA); however, those who are not eligible for special education services under IDEA are entitled to a free, appropriate education (FAPE) and are protected from discrimination under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The NEA supports a free, appropriate public education for all students with disabilities in a least restrictive environment (LRE), which must be determined by maximum teacher and parent/guardian involvement.

By working together, educators, students, families, and communities can help protect all individuals with disabilities from discriminatory practices and ensure that the necessary supports and services are provided so that all students receive a FAPE. As a champion of America’s public schools, the NEA promotes solution-oriented advocacy, professional learning, and information to bring much-needed support and resources to students, educators, and their families.

A teenage boy in a wheelchair browses books in a school library

Lead a local book club focused on disability rights and inclusion. This program offers members a leadership role, books, and online resources to facilitate discussions. It fosters inclusive education and creates accessible environments for all.

Quote by: Locally Led Book Clubs Focused on Disability Rights and Inclusion

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NEA has long been committed to ensuring equitable opportunities for all students. Disabled persons are the largest minority in the world, affecting one in five persons. Disability intersects all other marginalized groups, those that NEA has long fought for to ensure racial and social justice and equitable opportunities. NEA is committed to Disability Justice and ending the deficit view of persons with disabilities, ableism, stigma, and addressing the many intersecting forms of structural discrimination that impact individuals with disabilities.

NEA is focused on achieving authentic accessibility, ending ableism, and being inclusive of all students and educators with disabilities to fulfill NEA’s vision of a great public school for every student. Individuals with disabilities should be at the forefront of advocacy and leadership, and their perspectives and experiences should be centered in all efforts to promote it. This means ensuring that individuals with disabilities have the power and agency to shape policies, practices, and decisions that impact their lives. NEA, in partnership with the Ford Foundation, is raising awareness to advance disability rights and inclusive practices, cultivating a pipeline of leaders who are most impacted, and empowering educators to challenge and transform systems of oppression that impact the disability community.