In 1973, the U.S. Congress passed landmark legislation which dramatically expanded rights and opportunities for persons with disabilities in this country. The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the first national civil rights legislation ever enacted for persons with disabilities, mandated that recipients of federal funds accommodate the needs of the disabled. MSU, as a recipient of federal money, was among hundreds of colleges and universities nationwide required under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act to make its facilities and programs accessible to persons with disabilities. Like most institutions, MSU did little to comply with the requirements of Section 504 during the first five years after enactment. In 1978, however, the year by which Section 504 regulations had mandated compliance, MSU established the office of Disabled Student Services. With that move and the subsequent completion of a Section 504 institutional self-study, MSU-Bozeman became the first unit in the Montana University System to attend seriously to the post-secondary education needs of disabled persons.

After the establishment of Disabled Student Services on campus, students began to trickle in. At first, we attracted mostly wheelchair users, then visually impaired students and a few with chronic health problems. Later came students with hearing impairments, psycho-logical disabilities, and droves of students with specific learning disabilities. From that first trickle of students with disabilities in 1978, the population of students with disabilities identified and served by Disabled Student Services has now grown to more than 250.

Though instructors have done quite well over the past 20 years with little information about DSS policies or effective ways of working with students with disabilities, this site may ease the burden a bit and will, it is hoped, help improve the campus climate for the students we all serve.

Return to regular view	Text-only	Updated: 09/10/2008