DISABILITY LAW
SYLLABUS
SPRING, 2011
Professor Elaine Gardner
General Syllabus Information
1. Casebook: page numbers are listed from the casebook, Disability Rights Law and Policy,
Blanck et al. (Thomson-West Publishing) (Second Edition).
2. Casebook Supplement (2009): which you should receive with the casebook. If you have
purchased a used book, or otherwise cannot get the supplement, let me know and I will
get the materials to you. In the Syllabus, readings from the Supplement are noted
“Supp.”
3. Additional Statutory and Regulatory Materials: Indicated with a *
o Most of the ADA regulations referred to are found at www.ada.gov.
o Go to Revised ADA Regulations Implementing Title II and Title III, and
then scroll down to
 Title III Regulations: go to Revised Final Title III Regulation with
integrated text:
http://www.ada.gov/regs2010/titleIII_2010/titleIII_2010_integrated.htm

Title II Regulations: go to Revised Final Title II Regulation with
integrated text:
http://www.ada.gov/regs2010/titleII_2010/titleII_2010_integrated.htm
o For the ADA Employment Regulations and Guidance,
http://www.eeoc.gov/regs/index.html.
I will also distribute handouts from time to time.
1
I. Introduction to Disability and Overview of Disability Laws. (1/12)
1.
Federal Legislation [Handout]
HANDOUT
The Americans with Disabilities Act as amended
42 U.S.C. §§12101 - 12102
Supp 1 - 4
Title V of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973,
29 U.S.C. §§791, 794, and 794a
Supp 71 - 73
2.
History and Overview of Disability Laws
HANDOUT
3.
Southeastern Community College v. Davis
442 U.S. 397 (1979) (excerpts)
33 - 40
4.
ADA History and Philosophy
40 – 66
5.
American Council of the Blind v. Paulson,
Secretary Of the Treasury 525 F.3d 1256
(D.C. Cir. 2008).
HANDOUT
2
II. Disability Defined. (1/19)
1. Introduction
69 - 72
2. Impairment
School Bd of Nassau Co. v. Arline
480 U.S. 273 (1987) (excerpt)
72 - 79
3. The ADA Amendments Act of 2008
The ADA Amendments Act of 2008,
42 U.S.C. 12102 (definitions)
Supp 2 - 4
a. Substantial Limitation
Sutton v. United Air Lines
527 U.S. 471 (1999) (excerpt)
83 - 99
b. Major Life Activity
c.
Bragdon v. Abbott, (excerpt)
524 U.S. 624 (1998)
108 - 119
Toyota Motor Manufacturing Co.
v. Williams, 534 U.S. 184 (2002)
119 - 127
Substantial Limitation of the Major Life Activity of Working
Sutton v. United Air Lines
527 U.S. 471 (1999) (excerpt)
d. Record of / Perceived Disability
131 - 134
Murphy v. United Parcel Service Inc.
527 U.S. 516 (1999) (excerpt)
7. Miscellaneous Definitions – Alcoholism, Drug Addiction, Other
ADA Title V, 42 U.S.C. 12210 - 12211
3
Supp 55 - 56
III. Otherwise Qualified With Or Without Reasonable Accommodation (1/26)
1. Regulatory Materials
28 C.F.R. 36.302 (Title III regulation/analysis)
*
2. Reasonableness of Accommodation: Fundamental Alteration/Undue Burden
28 C.F.R. 35.164 (Title II regulation/analysis)
*
Review Southeastern Community College v. Davis
442 U.S. 397 (1979) (excerpts).
3. Prerequisites and Essential Requirements
4.
33 - 40
144 - 152
Undue Risk
28 C.F.R. 36.208 (Title III regulation)
*
29 C.F.R. 1630(r) (Title I regulation)
*
Review School Bd of Nassau Co. v. Arline
480 U.S. 273 (1987) (excerpt)
72 - 79
4
IV. Access to Governmental Services (2/2)
1.
Statutory and regulatory materials
363 - 366
Americans with Disabilities Act,
Supp 14 - 15
42 U.S.C. 12131 – 12132
Title II Regulations and analysis
*
28 C.F.R. 35.104 Definition, public entity
28 C.F.R. 35.130 General prohibitions
28 C.F.R. 35.133 Maintenance
28 C.F.R. 35.150 Existing facilities
28 C.F.R. 35.160 to 35.163 Communications, etc.
2.
Title II Under Review
366 - 380
Tennessee v. Lane, 541 U.S. 509 (2004) (excerpts)
(majority opinion)
3.
U.S. v. Georgia, 126 S.Ct. 877 (2006)
382 - 387
Definition of Public Entity
392 – 393
Pennsylvania Department of Corrections
v. Yeskey, 524 U.S. 206 (1998)
4.
Service, Program or Activity
396 - 402
Barden v. City of Sacramento
292 F.3d 1073 (9th Cir. 2002)
5.
Affirmative Obligations of Public Entities
410 - 412
Integration
Olmstead v. L.C., 527 U.S. 581 (1999).
430 - 436
Effective Communication
Duffy v. Riveland 98 F.3d 447 (9th Cir. 1996)
452 - 456
5
V. Access to Public Accommodations, Part One (2/9)
1. The Law and the Regulations
523 - 526
Americans with Disabilities Act
42 U.S.C. 12181 - 12183
Supp 35 - 42
Title III Regulation
6.
28 C.F.R. 36.102, 36.103
*
28 C.F.R. 36.104 Definition place of public accommodation
*
28 C.F.R. 36.104 Definition public accommodation
*
28 C.F.R. 36.104 Definition – religious entity
*
28 C.F.R. 36.201 to 205 General provisions
*
What is a Place of Public Accommodation
533
Car Part Distribution Center v. Automotive
Wholesaler’s Association of New England, Inc.
37 F.3d 12 (1st Cir. 1994) (excerpts)
535 - 539
Parker v. Metropolitan Life Insurance Co.,
539 - 547
121 F. 3d 1006 (6th Cir. 1997) (majority) (excerpts)
3.
Spector v. Norwegian Cruise Line
545 U.S. 119 (2005) (excerpt) (majority opinion)
568 – 579
Rendon v. ValleyCrest Productions
294 F.3d 1279 (11th Cir. 2002)
1175 - 1180
The Internet as a Place of Public Accommodation
1161 - 1165
Access Now, Inc. v. Southwest Airlines,
227 F.Supp. 2d 1312 (S.D. Fla. 2002)
556 - 564
National Federation of the Blind v. Target
582 F.Supp. 2d 1185 (N.D. Cal. 2007)
750 - 752
6
VI. Access to Public Accommodations, Part Two
(2/16)
1. Definitions
28 C.F.R. 36.104 Definition of
readily achievable
28 C.F.R. 36.104 Definition of
undue burden
28 C.F.R. 36.104 Definition of
qualified interpreter
28 C.F.R. 36.207 Private
residences
28 C.F.R. 36.210 Smoking
28 C.F.R. 36.211 Maintenance
28 C.F.R. 36.212 Insurance
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
2. Eligibility
28 C.F.R. 36.301
*
3. Reasonable Modifications
587 - 588
Johnson v. Gambrinus Co.
116 F.3d 1052 (5th Cir. 1997) (excerpts)
588 - 594
4. Fundamental Alteration
PGA Tour v. Martin. 121 S.Ct. 1879 (2001)
(excerpts)
5. Effective Communication
Aikins v. St. Helena Hospital
843 F.Supp. 1329 (N.D. Calif. 1994)(excerpts)
6.
613 - 621
Devices, goods, and seating
28 C.F.R. 36.306, 36.307, 36.308
7.
595 - 608
Exams and Courses
*
565 - 566
28 C.F.R. 36.309 Exams, courses
7
*
VII. Architectural Barriers, Transportation, and Communication (2/23)
1. Architectural Barriers in Existing Facilities
28 C.F.R. 36.304: Existing facilities
*
Lieber v. Macy’s West Inc.
80 F.Supp. 2d 1065 (N.D. Calif. 1999)
637 - 653
7. Alterations
8.
625 - 627
655 - 657
Kinney v. Yerusalim 9 F.3d 1067 (3d Cir. 1993).
446 - 451
New Construction
657 - 658
28 C.F.R. 36.401: New construction
*
Caruso v. Blockbuter-Sony Music
659 - 670
Entertainment Centre 193 F.3d 730 (3d Cir 1999)
5.
6.
Transportation
459 - 461
Title III: 28 C.F.R. 36.310
*
42 U.S.C. 12184
Supp 42 - 44
Title II: 42 U.S.C. 12141 - 12143
Supp 16 - 22
Communication
Title IV of the ADA
8
VIII. Introduction to Employment Discrimination Law (3/2)
1. Background
a. The ADA
162 - 163
b. Section 501, 503 and 504 (review again)
Supp 71 - 73
2. Key Terms
29 C.F.R. 1630.2 Definitions
*
a. Otherwise Qualified
Cleveland v. Policy Management Systems Corp
526 U.S. 795 (1999).
154 - 160
b. Employer
163 – 164; 191 - 201
3. Hiring, Discipline and Benefits
201 - 203
4. Alcoholics and Drug Abusers
29 C.F.R. 1630.3 Drugs
*
29 C.F.R. 1630.16(b) Alcohol, drugs, tobacco
*
4. Health insurance and Title I
29 C.F.R. 1630.16(f)
*
5. Genetic Discrimination
1150 - 1160
NO CLASS ON MARCH 9, 2011 - SPRING BREAK
9
IX. Reasonable Accommodations in Employment (3/16)
1. Reasonable accommodations in general
29 C.F.R. 1630.2(o) (Title I regulation)
219 - 225
*
2. Job rotation, light duty, and modifications
243 - 245
3. Reasonable Accommodation: Request Process
252 - 255
4. Collective Bargaining Contracts and Reasonable Accommodations
U.S. Airways v. Barnett 535 U.S. 391 (2002).
225 - 235
5. Reasonable Accommodation for Perceived Disability
The ADA Amendments Act of 2008,
110 P.L. 325
6. Undue Hardship
255 - 256
256 - 259
10
X. Qualification Standards, Risks, Medical Exams, Employment Criteria (3/23)
1. Employment Criteria and Qualification Standards
29 C.F.R. 1630.10, 1630.11
ADA Regulation: criteria and tests
268 - 269
*
2.
Exams and Inquiries
204 - 215
3.
Direct Threat
269
4
29 C.F.R. 1630.2(r) Direct threat
*
29 C.F.R. 1630.16(e) Food handling
*
Review again School Bd of Nassau Co. v. Arline
480 U.S. 273 (1987) (excerpt)
72 - 79
Chevron USA v. Echazabel, 536 U.S. 73 (2002)
270 - 274
Echazabel v. Chevron USA
336 F3d 1023 (9th Cir 2003)
276 - 285
236 – 242
Policies and Discipline
Raytheon Co. v. Hernandez 540 U.S. 44 (2003)
11
XI. Education: Substantive Issues (3/30)
1. Introduction
941 - 947
2. Persons Protected
947 - 949
3. Appropriate Education
954 - 970
Bd. of Education of the Hendrick Hudson
Central School District v. Rowley
458 U.S. 176 (1982) (excerpt)
4.
Least Restrictive Environment
974 - 982
Sacramento Unified School District v. Rachel H.
14 F.3d 1398 (9th Cir. 1994)
5.
Related Services
984 - 988
990 - 991
Irving Indepedent School District v. Tatro
468 U.S. 883 (1984) (excerpt)
12
XII. Education: Procedural Issues (4/6)
1.
Special Education Process
Civil Action & Remedies
2.
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
The IEP - 20 U.S.C. Sec. 1414(d)(1) – (3)
Supp 112 - 118
Due Process Rights – 20 U.S.C. Sec. 1415 (a) – (c) Supp 119 - 123
2.
Judicial Review
4.
1006 - 1008
1020 - 1022
Bd. of Education of the Hendrick Hudson
Central School District v. Rowley
458 U.S. 176 (1982) (excerpt)
954 – 970 (review again)
Schaffer v. Weast, 546 U.S. 49 (2005)
(excerpts)
1008 - 1019
Remedies
1034 - 1037
Reimbursement for Residential and
Private Placement
20 U.S.C. Sec. 1412(a)(10)
1002 - 1005
Forest Grove School Dist. v. T. A., 129 S.Ct.
2484 (2009) (excerpt).
HANDOUT
13
Supp 98 - 102
XIII. Other Issues in Education (4/13)
1.
Discipline
993 - 1001
Honig v. Doe (excerpt)
484 U.S. 305 (1988)
Placement in Alternative Educational Setting
20 U.S.C. Sec. 1415(k)
Supp 131 - 136
Children in Adult Prisons
20 U.S.C. Sec. 1414(d)(7)
Supp 119
2.
Nonacademic services
3.
Sectarian Schools
4.
Future of the IDEA
5.
Sports/ Section 504
1051 - 1054
14
XIV. Housing (4/20)
1. Fair Housing Act
Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988,
42 U.S.C. Sec. 3604 et seq.
Supp 79 - 82
2. Discrimination under the Fair Housing Act
1055 -1057
City of Edmonds v. Oxford House, Inc.
514 U.S. 725 (1995) (excerpts).
1065 - 1068
3. Reasonable Modifications in Policies
1069 - 1070
U.S. v. California Mobile Home Park Management 1073 - 1075
Co., 29 F.3d 1413 (9th Cir. 1994) (excerpts).
Shapiro v. Cadman Towers
51 F.3d 328 (2d Cir. 1995)
1076 - 1083
4. Zoning/Variances
1057
Oconomowoc Residential Programs, Inc. v.
City of Milwaukee 300 F.3d 775 (7th Cir 2002)
5. Design & Construction
1093 - 1101
1108
NO CLASS ON APRIL 27, 2011 – READING DAY
15