Which act can be considered a significant civil rights law concerning disability?

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is a cornerstone civil rights law concerning disability. It was the first federal law in the United States to prohibit discrimination based on disability and to ensure that individuals with disabilities have equal access to programs and activities that receive federal funding. This law mandates that no otherwise qualified individual with a disability, solely by reason of their disability, can be excluded from participating in, denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity conducted by any executive agency or by the United States Postal Service.

The significance of Section 504 lies in its broad application across various sectors, including education, healthcare, and employment, fundamentally reshaping how society accommodates and includes people with disabilities. It laid the groundwork for subsequent legislation, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990, further solidifying and expanding protections against discrimination based on disability.

Understanding the impact of Section 504 provides crucial insight into the evolution of disability rights and highlights the ongoing efforts to ensure accessibility and equality for individuals with disabilities.