A Survey of Essential Functions and Reasonable Accommodations in Physical Therapist Education Programs

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Physical therapist (PT) education programs are required to make reasonable accommodations to any student with a disability according to the Americans Wth Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. Although not mandated by law, postsecondary institutions are advised to develop a list of essential functions in an attempt to comply with the ADA. The list may be used to determine whether a student with a disability can complete the PT curriculum with or without reasonable accommodations. The primary purpose of this study was to obtain the most current data regarding the existence and use of essential functions in accredited PT education programs. In addition, the study was designed to determine the types of disabilities most prevalent in PT education programs, describe the types of reasonable accommodations made for students with disabilities, and identify the time frames in which essential function lists are introduced to students. A survey instrument designed by the investigators was mailed to 171 accredited PT education programs in the United States. The results of this study indicate that 54% of the respondent programs (n=112) had developed a list of essential functions. Thirty percent of the programs introduced the list to prospective students prior to admission, whereas 22% did so during admission and 25% did so after admission. The results further indicate that learning disabilities are the most prevalent type of disability (73%) that required the use of reasonable accommodations. The most commonly used reasonable accommodation was extension of examination times and deadlines (71%). Findings may provide useful information to programs as they attend to the expectations of the ADA and to meeting the needs of students with disabilities. INTRODUCTION Traditionally, physical therapists (PTs) have assisted individuals with disabilities in their pursuit of employment and life opportunities. The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 has enhanced this effort. The ADA provides people with disabilities the right to pursue education at all levels, including admission to professional education programs. Forty three million people in the United States have disabilities.2-4 Increasingly, people with disabilities choose to pursue careers in the health care professions. There are numerous examples of medical, nursing, and occupational therapist students with disabilities.1,4-7 Notably, PT education programs are experiencing an increasing number of applicants with disabilities.2,3 Educators are challenged to apply the ADA standards in the acceptance of individuals with disabilities into PT education programs. In an attempt to ensure compliance with the ADA, universities have been advised to establish a list of essential functions.8 However, recent studies have shown that many PT education programs do not have lists of essential functions. A study conducted in 1994 revealed that only 8% of 100 PT education programs surveyed had lists of essential functions.9 In 1998, 70 randomly selected PT programs were surveyed to learn how the ADA expectations were implemented and how the development of essential functions was addressed.3 Results indicated that only 35% of the respondent programs had lists of essential functions.3 Faculty members often identify essential functions of a program in response to an immediate request for accommodation by a student who is enrolled in a course. The failure to identify a program's essential functions may result in an inability to reasonably accommodate a disability in a timely manner. Ward and colleagues2 found that almost half of PT students with disabilities who needed reasonable accommodations during their education programs reported that necessary accommodations were seldom provided. However, the study did not include learning disabilities, which are the most commonly cited disabilities in PT education programs.3 Determining specific essential functions of PT education programs and providing means to accommodate student needs continue to both challenge and frustrate educators. …