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\section{Introduction}  In 2010, the U.S. Census Bureau released a report which stated that there are about 56.7 million Americans who have a disability making them the largest minority \cite{matthew_w._brault_americans_2012}. The term disability may imply a broad range of physical, cognitive, emotional and mental conditions which limit one's way of life; individuals with disabilities meet a broad range of technological barriers, often times more than one \cite{42 (42  U.S. Code § 12102 - Definition of Disability.}. Disability.).  Many Americans with disabilities experience less career success than their non-disabled peers \cite{mukta_kulkarni_career_2014}. As post-secondary education becomes increasingly crucial for employability, it is becoming more common for Americans to pursue higher education. Within the population of those with disabilities who do pursue post secondary education, the attrition rate is high due to many barriers, including the accessibility of curriculum materials, electronic equipment and resources (ref). K-12 institutions are required to maintain different legal mandates than those that post-secondary institutions are held accountable for, making the academic and technological transition from secondary to post-secondary difficult and often ambiguous for many students with disabilities. This paper solely focuses on the current legal and technological state of AT services in higher education within Washington State. \subsection{History/Background}  The term assistive technology has been legally defined as having two seperate meanings. An assistive technology device is considered to be "any item, piece of equipment, or product system, whether acquired commercially off the shelf, modified, or customized, that is used to increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities" (ref). An assistive technology service is defined as "any service that directly assists an individual with a disability in selection, acquisition or use of an assistive technology device" (ref). 
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The Tech Act (otherwise known as Public Law 100-407) was signed into law in 1988 for the purpose of guiding states to begin the development and implementation of systems which will provide a variety of technological assistance to all individuals with disabilities, as well as their parents and legal guardians. The main role of the Tech Act is to help provide financial assistance to states for identifying assessing accommodation needs and technological resources, providing assistive technology services and conducting public awareness programs.    IDEA was passed in 1975 which ensures that students with a disabilities are provided with Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). (FAPE) (ref).  However, the IDEA holds only secondary institutions to a legal mandate as K-12 education is a legal right. Because higher education is an option, not a legal right, college institutions are not required to comply with IDEA ("Individuals with Disabilities Education Act"). (ref).    ADA, which was enacted in 1990, "prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities in the areas of accessibility, employment, public services, public accommodations, transportation and communication" ("Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990"). (ref).  This means all post-secondary institutions are legally required to provide all students with equal access to academic materials, facilities, or other tools necessary to graduate. It does not specifically define technological accommodations, however it provides legal basis for students to individually request accommodations from colleges ("Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990"). colleges.  In a 2005 unfunded mandate survey provided by the U.S. Conference of Mayors, 38 U.S. cities provided the total reoccurring annual cost of upholding ADA, \$24,445,506 (ref). A reasonable and vital goal for the U.S. public is to urge government funding within legal mandates like ADA, which can often require cities and public institutions to undergo large renovations and projects, discouraging real progress when there is a funding deficit.