As a topic of study, disability is not new at institutions of higher education. Psychological and intellectual disabilities have been of interest in psychiatry and psychology at least since the late 1800s and early 1900s. The post-World War II era, in particular, witnessed the rapid expansion of academic programs in special education, vocational rehabilitation, speech and language disorders, and similar clinical or instructional areas. In sociology, courses in social problems and deviance have covered disability, along with race, ethnicity, and sexuality, since the early part of the twentieth century. Each of these fields views disability from the perspective of a nondisabled majority. The academic area of disability studies approaches disability from a different vantage point than traditional fields. It examines disability as a social, cultural, and political phenomenon. In contrast to clinical, medical, instructional, or therapeutic perspectives on disability, Disability Studies focuses on how disability is defined and represented in society. From this perspective, disability is not a characteristic that exists exclusively in the person so defined, but a construct that finds its meaning in social and cultural context. By developing Disability Studies programs, colleges and universities can demonstrate their commitment to diversity and strengthen their student recruitment efforts. (Contains 1 table and 1 note.)