Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 states that:
"No otherwise qualified individual in the United States ... shall, solely by reason of ... handicap, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving federal financial assistance." A "qualified person" is defined as one who meets the requisite academic and technical standards required for admission or participation in the post-secondary institution’s programs and activities. Section 504 protects the civil rights of individuals who are qualified to participate and who have disabilities such as, but not limited to, the following:
- Blindness or visual impairments
- Cerebral palsy
- Chronic illnesses (to include AIDS, arthritis, cancer, diabetes)
- Deafness or hearing impairments
- Drug or alcohol additions (Section 504 covers former users and those in recovery programs)
- Epilepsy or seizure disorders
- Intellectual disability
- Neurodevelopmental disabilities
- Orthopedic limitations
- Specific learning disabilities
- Speech disorders
- Spinal cord or traumatic brain injury