Seth Galanter, acting assistant secretary for civil rights, will participate in an NCAA-sponsored panel discussion on recent guidance from the Office for Civil Rights, clarifying legal obligations of schools to provide equal access to extracurricular athletic activities to students with disabilities. Galanter’s appearance will take place at the 2013 NCAA Inclusion Forum Wednesday in Indianapolis.
The panel will review guidance issued by OCR in January regarding educational institutions’ responsibilities in providing athletic opportunities for students with disabilities under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. The discussion will further clarify the impacts for NCAA members and outline future opportunities for student-athletes with disabilities
In addition to explaining those legal obligations, the OCR guidance urges school districts to work with community organizations to increase athletic opportunities for students with disabilities, such as opportunities outside of the existing extracurricular athletic program.