What’s the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) and why is it important?
Before that life-changing day on July 26th, 1990, there was barely anything to protect disabled people, except for Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which will be discussed in the future. Before 1990, disabled people were denied to attend schools and/or universities and go to work. Public places did not have any ramps or accessible doors, so disabled people had to struggle to get into buildings and places. Until…
That life-changing event in 1990 was when George H.W. Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act! The ADA had been passed. The ADA gave disabled people the right to attend school and get employment. Buildings and places had to be accessible for everyone to enter. It still took a little while to get companies and businesses to make buildings and public places accessible. They eventually stopped resisting and ensured everyone could get into places more easily. The ADA was amended in 2008. It is enacted today!
Let’s talk about it!
What is the ADA and what does it contain?
The ADA is a federal civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against disabled people in daily activities such as education, jobs, transportation, and more. It bans discrimination on the basis of disability and guarantees equal opportunity to people with disabilities. It ensures that people with disabilities have the same opportunities as everyone else to enjoy employment, participate in the government, go grocery shopping, and attend schools and/or universities.
The law protects disabled people. According to the ADA, a person who has a disability is someone who “has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, has a history or record of such an impairment (such as cancer that is in remission), or is perceived by others as having such an impairment (such as a person who has scars from a severe burn).”
Some disabilities that the ADA covers: autism, HIV, cerebral palsy, Post-Traumatic Brain Injury, Deafness or hearing loss, diabetes, cancer, Blindness or low vision, mobility disabilities ( wheelchairs, canes), intellectual disabilities, and many more.
The ADA has five main sections (titles) to ensure access for disabled people. Different titles set out requirements for various organizations. Title I covers employment, while Title II covers transportation and state and local governments.
Title I: Employment
This applies to employers with 15 or more employees, including businesses, companies, labor unions, government agencies, and non-profit organizations. Employers must provide disabled people with employment-based opportunities, such as promotions, recruitment, and more.
Employers must give reasonable accommodations to qualified employees or applicants.
Reasonable accommodation - a change that accommodates disabled people so they can do the work without giving the employer an “undue hardship.”
Title II: Public Services - State and Local Governments
This applies to public schools, daycare centers, voting, recreation centers, and more. State and local governments must give disabled people access to all their programs, services, and activities. This allows people with disabilities to benefit from these daily things and participate in everyday life.
This also applies to public transportation, such as buses, trains, NJ Transit, Amtrak, etc. Public and private transit systems must provide disabled people with equal opportunity to enjoy the benefits of the ride. This also applies to private transportation, such as airport shuttles and taxi cabs.
Some specific requirements of the ADA include:
Making reasonable modifications to buildings, and commercial and privately owned facilities so disabled people can easily access them.
Allowing service animals even if there is a “no pets” sign or policy.
Title III: Public Accommodations
This covers businesses, including restaurants, airports, airport shuttles, movie theaters, private schools, and housing.
It requires new or altered business buildings to comply with the ADA to make them accessible for disabled people.
Title IV: Telecommunications
Internet and telephone companies have to provide services to disabled people, including those with “hearing and speech disabilities.”
It requires closed captioning (CC) on every federally funded public service announcement.
Title V: Miscellaneous Provisions
This title contains various provisions of the ADA, including additional requirements for implementing the law.
Some requirements are:
A disabled person does not have to ask and request for an aide if they do not want to.
It bans retaliation against a person who asserts their rights under the ADA.
Why is the ADA important?
People with disabilities still face finding programs, attending schools and colleges, and securing housing. The ADA helps disabled people with those challenges by providing services and programs in schools and colleges. It also ensures that they have accessible ways to travel, get to work, school, and participate in everyday life activities. This allows people to have service animals, assistive technologies, individualized emergency plans (IEPs) or Section 504 plans in public schools, and even more. This law allows everyone to engage, interact, and live in society together and meet people!!
My thoughts on the ADA and how society has changed over the last few years:
I learned about this law when I was 15 years old, and it empowered me after watching a video about it. Then, I watched a documentary called Crip Camp: A Disability Revolution on Netflix, and it talked about the ADA and the Disability Rights Movement. I was sad that I’d never learned this before, but I wanted to help spread awareness. The ADA allows disabled people to create businesses, write books, work, and go to school and/or college easier than before. It integrates us into society rather than keeping us in institutions. Judy Heumann, Andraéa LaVant, Jim LeBrecht, and many other activists and organizations struggled and fought for each other and the generations that came after them. They were sick and tired of being rejected and told "no," so they changed the narrative of the disability community to this day. They fought for these laws, and they got them!
Today, significant progress has been made since the ADA was passed. Almost every Zoom meeting I’ve attended in the last few years has CC and sign language interpreters. There are more accessible ways for my wheelchair to get into buildings, theaters, airports, shops, and more. Additionally, I’ve noticed an increase in events offering both in-person and virtual options, ensuring that everyone who wants to attend can do so.
Conclusion
The ADA isn't just a law; it's a lifeline. Since its enactment, we've seen incredible strides in accessibility and inclusion. From accessible buildings and transportation to greater opportunities in employment and education, the ADA has opened doors once firmly shut.
But the journey isn't over. The ADA reminds us that the fight for equality continues. Let's honor those who fought for the ADA by advocating for further improvements, ensuring everyone can live with dignity and respect.
The ADA is more than a law; it's a testament to resilience, community, and human rights. Let's build on this foundation and strive for true equality for all.
The ADA rules!
See you next time!
Love Enable Everything!
Sources:
ADA National Network. “An Overview of the Americans with Disabilities Act | ADA National Network.” Adata.org, 2019, adata.org/factsheet/ADA-overview.
“Olmstead Decision.” Www.olmsteadrights.org, www.olmsteadrights.org/about-olmstead/item.6460-The_Americans_with_Disabilities_Act_of_1990_ADA#:~:text=It%20prohibits%20disability%20discrimination.
“Introduction to the Americans with Disabilities Act.” ADA.gov, 30 Nov. 2022, www.ada.gov/topics/intro-to-ada/#top.
**This is just an opinion of Enable Everything. I used sources to help me write this piece. Please fact-check.**
