Student-athletes with disabilities have been an overlooked segment of the intercollegiate athletics community. When the subject of diversity in college sports arises, people often think of race and gender, but student-athletes with disabilities often are a forgotten constituent.

To provide them with the voice they need and the opportunities they deserve, a Student-Athlete Disability Advisory Group has been established on behalf of student-athletes with learning disabilities, hearing impairments and physical disabilities. The advisory group serves as a resource and support structure to the NCAA and other collegiate sports organizations, and it provides a catalyst for those organizations to address, learn and exchange information in the area of disability in collegiate sports.

Convened in January by Northeastern University's Center for the Study of Sport in Society, the advisory group's goal is to champion issues related to student-athletes with disabilities in the collegiate setting and work collaboratively with the NCAA and other collegiate sports organizations.

The group is concerned about qualified athletes with disabilities having the opportunity to compete on intercollegiate, able-bodied teams in their chosen sport. Members also want to foster disability-specific intercollegiate programs for athletes with physical and sensory disabilities who are unable to parake in able-bodied sports.

Among the group's goals are to:

• Foster communication among student-athlete disability-related areas, such as the learning disabled, hearing impaired, physically impaired, sports medicine and disability support services.

• Examine strategies for increased recognition, support and programming for student-athletes with disabilities competing in competitive sports.

• Promote a positive competitive environment for student-athletes with disabilities.

• Facilitate advocacy and action-oriented proposals concerning student-athletes with disabilities.

Athletes with disabilities are gearing up for the 2004 Paralympic Games taking place in Athens September 17-28. According to the USOC, more than 50 student-athletes will be on the U.S. Team.

The advisory group will focus on access and education, and will look to set up education and training programs in which athletics directors and coaches can be provided with strategies for including student-athletes with disabilities. Advisory group members will support policies and programs that would ensure the same sort of awareness of equality for disabled athletes as currently exist for women and ethnic minorities.

As the number of students with disabilities attending college increases, so will the participation rates of student-athletes in disability-specific competitive sports and on able-bodied sports teams. The advisory group recognizes that effective inclusion and integration cannot take place if athletics administrators do not know enough about student-athlete with disabilities.

The advisory group is aiming to create a level playing field for the disabled athlete.

Eli A. Wolff works at the Center for the Study of Sport in Society at Northeastern University.