Government-Wide Coordination Activities for Implementing Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 recognized the rights of handicapped individuals to participate in and benefit from federally funded programs and activities. In April 1976, an Executive Order directed the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW) to coordinate implementation of section 504 throughout the Federal Government. The Order also directed HEW to establish standards for determining who handicapped persons were under the provisions of section 504, and to develop guidelines for determining discriminatory practices prohibited by section 504. A review of the HEW Government-wide coordination activities for implementing section 504 was performed. In November 1980, an Executive Order transferred the responsibility for coordinating Federal agencies' implementation of section 504 to the Department of Justice.