User:Marinarasauce21/Invisible disability

Students with Invisible Disabilities in Postsecondary Education
Colleges and universities have been in the United States since the 1700s, but laws regarding students with disabilities did not exist until the 1970s. Prior to new legislation, universities would deny access to prospective students with disabilities. The first law that affected students in postsecondary education, and protected students from discrimination, was the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 which granted some rights to students with disabilities. In 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed and gave more rights and protection to disabled postsecondary students. Together with the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the ADA sets the standard for determining disabilities in universities, defining disability as an impairment that "substantially limit[s] or restrict[s] a major life activity". If a university discriminates against a student, under the ADA and Rehabilitation Act the university may lose federal funding. In 1997, the Association for Higher Education and Disability (AHEAD) created the first publication that "documented guidelines for students with learning disabilities". Since the passing of legislature to protect students with disabilities, colleges and universities have implemented policies to accommodate students with disabilities. Due to the acts and university compliance, there has been an increased population of disabled students, with as many as 1 in 10 postsecondary students identifying with having a disability, in the United States.

While there is legislation in place to prevent discrimination against students with disabilities, students with invisible disabilities can choose not to disclose their disability. Invisible disabilities include a broad spectrum of disabilities that cannot be seen or easily noticed and can therefore be hidden. Because of the social stigma around disability, students with invisible disabilities may choose to not disclose that they have a disability for accommodations.