Classification, social contracts, obligations, civil rights, and the Supreme Court: Sutton v. United Airlines

Part of a special issue focusing on legal issues in US special education. Analyses the 1999 US Supreme Court decision on Sutton v. United Air Lines in terms of answers to four key questions: who is disabled; what does a person with a disability owe to society, and vice versa; what obligations does a person have to take action to blunt the effects of his or her disability; and what kind of civil rights protection can he or she expect? Then discusses the significance of the Court's rulings for people with disabilities, especially students covered by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Also sets out the implications for special and general educators engaged in Individualized Education Program planning. (Original abstract - amended)