This is a seminar on the rights of individuals with disabilities in the United States. We shall study the development of disability law in the U.S. through ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act), IDEA, and other statutes and cases and examine topics such as the definition of mental and physical disabilities, employment discrimination, reasonable accommodation, welfare benefits, and special education. The seminar will throughout foreground the theoretical justifications and policy implications of integration as well as the economics of accommodation. Approximately two thirds of the semester will be devoted to covering basic statutory, doctrinal and theoretical ground. Readings will be assigned mostly from Blanck, Hill, Siegan and Waterstone, Disability Civil Rights Law and Policy (2009). Towards the end of the semester, we will focus on students’ individual research. Evaluation will be based on class participation and a final paper. **A student who fails to attend the initial meeting of a seminar (designated by an (S) in the title), or to obtain permission to be absent from either the instructor or the Registrar, may be administratively dropped from the seminar. Students who are on a wait list for a seminar are required to attend the first seminar meeting to be considered for enrollment.

Note that this information may change at any time. Please visit the Student Link for the most up-to-date course information.