Reps. Roe, Courtney Reintroduce Bipartisan Legislation To Ensure Disabled Students Have Equal Access To Educational Materials

Statement

Today, Reps. Phil Roe, M.D. (R-TN) and Joe Courtney (D-CT) reintroduced the bipartisan Accessible Instructional Materials in Higher Education (AIM HIGH) Act. This legislation would establish an independent commission to develop voluntary guidelines for accessible postsecondary electronic instructional materials and related technologies to ensure students with disabilities have access to the same materials as non-disabled students.

The commission will be comprised of representatives of persons with disabilities, institutions of higher education, developers and manufacturers of instructional materials and non-profit organizations that provide accessible electronic materials.

"As technology advances, and more coursework requires digital resources, we need to ensure this transition does not leave students with disabilities at a disadvantage," said Congressman Roe. "All students deserve the opportunity to excel in their education, which is why I am proud to reintroduce the Accessible Instructional Materials in Higher Education (AIM HIGH) Act, legislation that encourages institutions of higher education to provide equal access to all instructional materials, which will support students with disabilities. I want to thank Rep. Courtney for again partnering with me on this important legislation, and all the stakeholders who have worked tirelessly to develop this commonsense solution that can be supported on a bipartisan basis. I am hopeful our colleagues will come together on this issue and help students with disabilities achieve their goals."

"The goal of our bill is to ensure that no student is put at a disadvantage while pursuing a higher education degree because they have a disability," said Congressman Courtney. "Colleges and universities across the country are converting to digital resources, and we need to ensure that students with different needs have equal access to the same tools and resources that other students have at their disposal. I want to thank Congressman Roe for once again leading this bipartisan effort with me, and I look forward to working with him and our colleagues on both sides of the aisle to get this measure passed this Congress."

Source