Section 504 provides school-aged children with accommodations to help them fully participate in classroom instruction, as well as activities outside the classroom, such as physical education and sports. This assistance may be in the form of materials or equipment, such as a special computer keyboard to make typing easier for a child with arthritis. Another accommodation may be extra time to complete assignments and/or more frequent rest breaks.
All of the types of assistance that could be provided under Section 504 are not spelled out in the law, but they can also include “related services,” such as physical therapy or psychological counseling. Whether services will be provided depends on whether they are necessary to allow the child to participate in classroom and other school activities.
The purposes of Section 504 and IDEA are different. Section 504 is focused on providing access to regular educational activities in and out of the classroom. IDEA also ensures access, but it is focused on something else as well. Under IDEA, services are provided so that children receive educational benefit from their individually designed educational program. For instance, a child with juvenile arthritis may be unable to perform handwriting tasks in class. If it's made a part of the individualized education plan, IDEA funds might pay for specially designed instruction to teach the child how to type. Section 504 might pay for a computer and special keyboard.
Section 504 can also help children in their after-school and summer jobs. Employers must provide “reasonable accommodations” so that eligible employees with disabilities can successfully do their jobs. An example of a reasonable accommodation may be a special chair so that the employee with a disability can sit comfortably with less pain and fatigue.
