Department of Education March 14, 2012 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The Department of Education (Department or Education) provides notice of its interpretation of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Department's implementing regulations, which prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability in federally assisted programs and activities (Education's Section 504 regulations). Among other things, Education's Section 504 regulations address the accessibility and usability of a recipient's facilities by persons with disabilities. This document explains that for new construction and alterations commenced on or after September 15, 2010, we will permit recipients of Federal financial assistance from the Department to use an additional alternative accessibility standard in lieu of the Uniform Federal Accessibility Standards (UFAS) for the purpose of complying with Section 504. Specifically, we will permit the use of the U. S. Department of Justice's 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design as defined in the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Title II regulation (referred to in this notice as the 2010 Title II ADA Standards) except that Exception (1) to Section 206.2.3 does not apply. Use of the 2010 Title II ADA Standards will not be required as a means of compliance with Section 504, however, until the Department revises its Section 504 regulations to formally adopt the 2010 Title II ADA Standards in lieu of UFAS.