Life Cycle of the Disability Term

Abstract:     
Defining disability, from youth to old age, is a lesson in legislative priorities and incentive systems that are below the radar screen. This poster presentation provides a visual illustration of the life cycle of the concept of disability, over an average life span. The time line begins when a child enters pre-school or elementary school and is first exposed to the possibility for a disability designation under the Individuals with Disabilities Act or under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and ends when an elder is exposed to the possibility of a disability designation under a guardianship or conservatorship statutory scheme.

Keywords: disability, statutory construction, IDEA, Section 504, Rehabilitation Act, elder law

JEL Classifications: J1, K10, K23, K4

Working Paper Series