Comparison Chart
This chart is a comparison of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Section 504
of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504), and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
IDEA Section 504 ADA
Requirements Provides a free, Requires any agency, Extends coverage of
in the Law appropriate, public school or institution section 504 to
education in the receiving federal employment, public
least restrictive financial assistance to and private
environment. provide persons with educational
disabilities to the greatest institutions,
extent possible, an transportation
opportunity to be fully providers and
integrated into the telecommunications,
mainstream. regardless of
presence of any
federal funding.
Definitions Specific disability Defines persons with Definition of
in the Law categories are disabilities who: disability essentially
defined in the law; same as Section 504
covers students with have a physical or and extends
educational mental coverage to persons
disabilities that impairment that without disabilities
require special limits one or more who may be related
services from major life to or associated with
specially trained activities; a person with a
teachers. disability; Includes
have a record of HIV status,
Not all students such an contagious and non-
with disabilities are impairment; or contagious diseases.
eligible.
are regarded as
having an
impairment.
Who is Covers students Protects all persons with Protects all persons
Covered with educational a disability from with a disability
disabilities that discrimination in from discrimination
require special educational setting based in educational
education services solely on disability. setting based solely
ages 3-21 or until on disability.
graduation.
Services Offers educational Eliminates barriers that Eliminates barriers
Provided services that are would prevent a student that would prevent a
remedial in addition from full participation in student from full
to services available programs/services offered participation in
to all mainstream to the general school programs/services
students (e.g., PE, population. offered to the
Art, field trips) general school
population.
Funding Schools receive Requires that schools not Requires that
federal funding to discriminate based on schools not
provide remedial student's disability and discriminate based
services. must provide appropriate on student's
accommodations, but disability and must
schools receive no provide appropriate
additional financial accommodations,
support to provide but schools receive
support services or no additional
auxiliary aids. financial support to
provide support
services or auxiliary
aids.
Evaluation/ School district is Same for elementary Students must self-
Documentation responsible for and secondary schools. identify as having a
identifying and disability and must
evaluating Same for students in provide adequate
students with college. documentation of
disabilities. disability.
Same for elementary
and secondary schools. Evaluations/
Evaluations are the documentation of
responsibility of the Same for students in disability are
school and are college. student's
performed at no responsibility and
expense to expense.
student/parent. Same for elementary
and secondary schools.
Parents must Same for students in Student has
consent to college. responsibility for
evaluations and advocacy,
placement negotiating
decisions. accommodations
plan.
IEP/ Individual 504 Plan developed with Accommodation
Accommo- Education Plan parents, teachers and plan developed with
dations (IEP) developed school personnel student, Disabilities
with parents, involved (for elementary/ Services
teachers and other secondary students). Coordinator on
specialists involved. campus.
Same for students in
college.
Classroom Placement must be Placement is in regular All courses are
Placement in the least classroom with support mainstream with
restrictive services to eliminate accommodations
environment; may barriers to the educational provided to students
be special experience. (Elementary, who qualify under
classrooms, secondary & college ADA.
resource, or regular students).
classroom.
(Elementary and
secondary students)