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When the Americans with Disabilities Act passed in 1990, it was estimated that 43 million Americans were living with a disability. This number continues to grow. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, there are now over 54 million Americans who have a disability. There also has been an increase is the number of students with disabilities attending postsecondary education institutions. Assistive technologies are making postsecondary education a realized dream for many students with disabilities. They make simple tasks, such as taking class notes or doing library research, possible for such students. Postsecondary institutions have special legal obligations toward their students with disabilities. These obligations stem from various federal and state disability rights laws. This article examines the inextricable connections between assistive technologies, postsecondary institutions, and disability rights laws. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Legal issues have increasingly come to the forefront in academic libraries in recent years. Most of these issues involve The Rehabilitation Act, Section 504 (1973) or Americans with Disabilities Act (1990), complaints related to discriminatory practices with regard to accommodations or assistive technologies. This article provides a brief synopsis of the particular clauses within the Americans with Disabilities Act (1990) (ADA) pertaining to academic libraries and explains these clauses in clear lay terms. Office of Civil Rights complaints and court cases to illustrate the legal ramifications of the ADA for libraries are discussed. This article focuses on some of the cases that are most pertinent to issues related to providing appropriate accommodations for individuals with disabilities. Problem resolution strategies for resolving 504 and ADA complaints are suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]