Historically, the disabled community had been discriminated against in different areas of life. The prejudice against them was so severe at times, that they were kept in isolation, and prevented from joining the community because they had a wheelchair, crutches, or a mental disability and were labeled as ‘crazy’ because of it.

Congress had passed a rehabilitation act in 1973, but this legislation was not implemented until 1977. The reason section 504 of the Federal Rehabilitation Act finally was effectuated, had to do with the sit-ins that disabled people partook in. These sit-ins made politicians realize that the status quo is not acceptable for the disabled community, and that disabled people will not concede until they are treated with the same respect that is granted to the rest of the citizens in this country.

On July 12 1977, a little over a month after the 504 legislation had passed a report was sent out to every University of California. This report was drafted by members of the UC administrations, and it stated the new official policy of the UC’s prevents them from discriminating on the basis of handicap.  Because all UC’s receive federal funds in order to finance their various programs and activities, the UC’s faculty and staff members cannot exclude any handicap member from participating in any program. In fact, all handicapped people must be allowed into any UC program starting from August 2, 1977. In addition, the report stated that all UC programs and facilities should be made handicap-accessible by June 3^rd, 1980.

On the second page of the document, the word ‘handicapped’ is defined to mean “any person who has a physical or mental impairment” that limits their quality of life.  According to the report, this term includes physical and physiological disorders, mental or psychological disorders, diseases and conditions such as Cancer and hearing impairment, and drug addiction and alcoholism. Before 1977, all but physically handicapped people were not provided for.

Cal already had a program that accommodated people with physical disabilities. This program was called the Physically Disabled Students Program, and it admitted students into its program starting from July 1970. The PDSP, true to its name, was focused on providing accommodations for students with physical disabilities, but in the 1970s, students with various kinds of learning disabilities started attending Cal. These students were mostly isolated from the rest of the campus, discriminated against, and were unable to take part in various programs and activities. This all changes slowly in 1977, with the implementation of section 504 of the Federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973. This 504 legislation in the reason that a report preventing discrimination was sent to UC campuses in 1977, it resulted in PDSP becoming the Disabled Students program, and it led to the passage of the ADA Act in 1990.