Preservice Legal Training Concerning Issues and Rights of People With Disabilities

Abstract

While the legal system has made significant contributions to reform in special education in the past 20 years, the role of the nation's law schools in providing preservice training concerning the rights of people who are disabled is less certain. A survey of law schools in the United States to determine the extent of such training made available to law students revealed that most law schools responding to the survey have since 1975 provided training by infusing disability rights content in existing courses. Lawyers who have entered law practice over the past 15 years have had a greater opportunity to complete some training on the rights of people who are disabled. The likelihood of access to a larger pool of attorneys knowledgeable of the rights of people with disabilities has implications for continued reforms in areas such as education, employment, transportation, recreation, and housing.

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