§1140 — Title 20 Education | U.S. Code

§1140 Definitions

Title 20 › Chapter CHAPTER 28— - HIGHER EDUCATION RESOURCES AND STUDENT ASSISTANCE › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER VII— - GRADUATE AND POSTSECONDARY IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMS › Part Part D— - Programs To Provide Students With Disabilities With a Quality Higher Education › § 1140

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Defines "comprehensive transition and postsecondary program for students with intellectual disabilities" as a degree, certificate, or nondegree program a college or university offers to help students with intellectual disabilities continue academic, career and technical, and independent living instruction so they can prepare for gainful employment. The program must have advising and a curriculum, require students to take part at least half-time as the school decides with an academic focus through one or more activities (for example, regular credit courses with nondisabled students, auditing classes, noncredit courses, or internships/work-based training with nondisabled people), and promote social and academic integration with nondisabled students as much as possible. Defines "student with an intellectual disability" as a student who has a cognitive impairment with significant limits in intellectual functioning and in adaptive behavior (conceptual, social, and practical skills), and who is or was eligible for a free appropriate public education under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

Title 20, §1140

Education — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

In this part:

(1)The term “comprehensive transition and postsecondary program for students with intellectual disabilities” means a degree, certificate, or nondegree program that meets each of the following:

(A)Is offered by an institution of higher education.

(B)Is designed to support students with intellectual disabilities who are seeking to continue academic, career and technical, and independent living instruction at an institution of higher education in order to prepare for gainful employment.

(C)Includes an advising and curriculum structure.

(D)Requires students with intellectual disabilities to participate on not less than a half-time basis as determined by the institution, with such participation focusing on academic components, and occurring through 1 or more of the following activities:

(i)Regular enrollment in credit-bearing courses with nondisabled students offered by the institution.

(ii)Auditing or participating in courses with nondisabled students offered by the institution for which the student does not receive regular academic credit.

(iii)Enrollment in noncredit-bearing, nondegree courses with nondisabled students.

(iv)Participation in internships or work-based training in settings with nondisabled individuals.

(E)Requires students with intellectual disabilities to be socially and academically integrated with non-disabled students to the maximum extent possible.

(2)The term “student with an intellectual disability” means a student—

(A)with a cognitive impairment, characterized by significant limitations in—

(i)intellectual and cognitive functioning; and

(ii)adaptive behavior as expressed in conceptual, social, and practical adaptive skills; and

(B)who is currently, or was formerly, eligible for a free appropriate public education under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act [20 U.S.C. 1400 et seq.].

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, referred to in par. (2)(B), is title VI of Pub. L. 91–230, Apr. 13, 1970, 84 Stat. 175, which is classified generally to chapter 33 (§ 1400 et seq.) of this title. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see section 1400 of this title and Tables.

Prior Provisions

A prior section 1140, Pub. L. 89–329, title VII, § 761, as added Pub. L. 105–244, title VII, § 701, Oct. 7, 1998, 112 Stat. 1801, stated the purpose of former part D, prior to repeal by Pub. L. 110–315, title VII, § 709(2), Aug. 14, 2008, 122 Stat. 3361.

Amendments

2010—Par. (2)(A). Pub. L. 111–256 struck out “mental retardation or” before “a cognitive impairment”. 2009—Par. (1). Pub. L. 111–39 added par. (1) and struck out former par. (1) which contained provisions substantially similar to new subpars. (A) to (D), defining “comprehensive transition and postsecondary program for students with intellectual disabilities”.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 2009 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 111–39 effective as if enacted on the date of enactment of Pub. L. 110–315 (Aug. 14, 2008), see section 3 of Pub. L. 111–39, set out as a note under section 1001 of this title. Definitions For meaning of references to an intellectual disability and to individuals with intellectual disabilities in provisions amended by section 2 of Pub. L. 111–256, see section 2(k) of Pub. L. 111–256, set out as a note under section 1400 of this title.