Appendix B: 504 Transition Plan

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act provides for equal opportunity to enter facilities and participate in programs and activities. It does not require that every part of every facility or program be accessible. The important considerations are that people with disabilities have the same opportunities in employment, the same opportunities to enter and move around in facilities, the same opportunities to communicate, and the same opportunities to participate in programs and activities as their peers.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in three key areas. Employment (Title I), State and local government services (Title II) and places of public accommodation and commercial facilities (Title III). The ADA expands upon the requirements of Section 504 by applying them to all activities of state and local governments under Title II and to places of public accommodation and commercial facilities under Title III. Both Title II and Title III went into effect on January 26, 1992. The ADA's accessibility requirements for places of public accommodation and state and local governments are largely based on and align with the requirements of Section 504. This means that individuals with disabilities have similar rights and protections under both laws.

UT Austin's work on accessibility started before the passage of the ADA, when UT Austin completed its first transition plan in response to the regulations implementing Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. In 1977, UT Austin began surveying the campus to identify the breadth and scope of the work to bring UT Austin into compliance with 504 standards.

This is a digitized version of the original document. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems.

Access to this document requires that you authenticate with your UT EID. If you do not have a UT EID, you will need to apply for a UT EID or complete and submit an Open Records Request to view UT Austin's ADA Transition Plan.