[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 38, Volume 2]
[Revised as of July 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 38CFR18.404]

[Page 18-19]
 
            TITLE 38--PENSIONS, BONUSES, AND VETERANS' RELIEF
 
          CHAPTER I--DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS (CONTINUED)
 
PART 18--NONDISCRIMINATION IN FEDERALLY-ASSISTED PROGRAMS OF THE DEPARTMENT 
OF VETERANS AFFAIRS--EFFECTUATION OF TITLE VI OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 
1964--Table of Contents
 
   Subpart D--Nondiscrimination in Federally-Assisted Programs of the 
 Department of Veterans Affairs--Effectuation of Title VI of the Civil 
                           Rights Act of 1964
 
Sec. 18.404  Discrimination prohibited.

    (a) General. No qualified handicapped person shall, on the basis of 
handicap, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, 
or otherwise be subjected to discrimination under any program or 
activity which receives or benefits from Federal financial assistance.
    (b) Discriminatory actions prohibited. (1) A recipient, in providing 
an aid, benefit, or service, may not, directly or through contractual, 
licensing, or other arrangements, on the basis of handicap:
    (i) Deny a qualified handicapped person the opportunity to 
participate in or benefit from the aid, benefit, or service that is 
equal to that afforded others;
    (ii) Afford a qualified handicapped person an opportunity to 
participate in or benefit from the aid, benefit, or service that is not 
equal to that afforded others;
    (iii) Provide a qualified handicapped person with an aid, benefit, 
or service that is not as effective as that provided to others;
    (iv) Provide different or separate aid, benefits, or services to 
handicapped persons or to any class of handicapped persons unless such 
action is necessary to provide qualified handicapped persons with aid, 
benefits, or services that are as effective as those provided to others;
    (v) Aid or perpetuate discrimination against a qualified handicapped 
person by providing significant assistance to an agency, organization, 
or person that discriminates on the basis of handicap in providing any 
aid, benefit, or service to beneficiaries of the recipient's program;
    (vi) Deny a qualified handicapped person the opportunity to 
participate as a member of planning or advisory boards; or
    (vii) Otherwise limit a qualified handicapped person in the 
enjoyment of any right, privilege, advantage, or opportunity enjoyed by 
others receiving an aid, benefit, or service.
    (2) Aids, benefits, and services, to be equally effective, are not 
required to produce the identical result or level of achievement for 
handicapped and nonhandicapped persons, but must give handicapped 
persons equal opportunity to obtain the same result, to gain the same 
benefit, or to reach the same level of achievement, in the most 
integrated setting appropriate to the person's needs.
    (3) Despite the existence of separate or different programs or 
activities provided in accordance with this part, a recipient may not 
deny a qualified handicapped person the opportunity to participate in 
programs or activities that are not separate or different.
    (4) A recipient may not, directly or through contractual or other 
arrangements, utilize criteria or methods of administration that:
    (i) Have the effect of subjecting qualified handicapped persons to 
discrimination on the basis of handicap,
    (ii) Have the purpose or effect of defeating or substantially 
impairing accomplishment of the objectives of the

[[Page 19]]

recipient's program with respect to handicapped persons, or
    (iii) Perpetuate the discrimination of another recipient if both 
recipients are subject to common administrative control or are agencies 
of the same State.
    (5) In determining the site or location of a facility, an applicant 
for assistance or a recipient may not make selections that:
    (i) Have the effect of excluding handicapped persons from, deny them 
the benefits of, or otherwise subject them to discrimination under any 
program or activity that receives or benefits from Federal financial 
assistance, or
    (ii) Have the purpose or effect of defeating or substantially 
impairing the accomplishment of the objective of the program or activity 
with respect to handicapped persons.
    (6) As used in this section, the aid, benefit, or service provided 
under a program or activity receiving or benefiting from Federal 
financial assistance includes any aid, benefit, or service provided in 
or through a facility that has been constructed, expanded, altered, 
leased or rented, or otherwise acquired, in whole of in part, with 
Federal financial assistance.
    (c) Programs limited by Federal law. The exclusion of nonhandicapped 
persons or the exclusion of a specific class of handicapped persons from 
a program limited by Federal statue or Executive order to a different 
class of handicapped persons is not prohibited by this part.
    (d) Special communication. Recipients shall take appropriate action 
to ensure that communications with their applicants, employees, and 
beneficiaries are available to persons with impaired vision and hearing.