The ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) was signed into law on July 26, 1990. This year marks the 34th anniversary of the ADA.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a crucial piece of legislation in the USA that ensures equal opportunities for people with disabilities. It’s a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on disability.
What is the ADA?
The ADA provides a level playing field for individuals with disabilities in employment, education, transportation, public accommodations, and other areas of life. It mandates that public places and businesses be accessible to people with disabilities, breaking down barriers. The ADA has boosted the economy by expanding the workforce and creating new markets for accessible products and services.
Since inception, the ADA has helped to shift societal attitudes towards people with disabilities, fostering a more inclusive and accepting culture. By promoting inclusion and accessibility, the ADA empowers people with disabilities to live more independently and participate fully in society.
Essentially, the ADA is a cornerstone of civil rights, ensuring that people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else.
Learn More
- Introduction to the Americans with Disabilities Act
- Guide to Disability Rights Laws
- Guidance on Web Accessibility and the ADA
- ADA Requirements: Effective Communication
- A Guide for People with Disabilities Seeking Employment
- Frequently Asked Questions about Service Animals and the ADA
What Has the ADA Done?
The current US presidential administration also released a statement highlighting various efforts they have taken to improve access, in just the current term:
- signed an Executive Order establishing a Government-wide commitment to advancing equality and equity in Federal employment, including for people with disabilities
- helped State and local governments, businesses, and nonprofits access Federal funds to hire more disabled Americans
- making the Federal Government a model employer when it comes to wages, accommodations, and opportunities to advance for people with disabilities
- announced funding to involve parents of children with disabilities as partners in creating equitable and inclusive schools
- issued a rule to bar denials of medical care related to organ donations or lifesaving care for disabled Americans based on their disability alone
- proposed updated medical diagnostic equipment guidelines to ensure people with disabilities can access health care providers
- made it easier for scientists to get funding for research on health disparities in the disability community by designating people with disabilities a “health disparity population”
- making the biggest investment in history — $1.75 billion — to make transit and rail stations more accessible, and investing $5 billion to add wheelchair ramps and accessible restrooms at airports and other locations
- issued standards for State and local governments to make their web content and mobile apps more accessible to Americans with disabilities so they can more easily access local government services, emergency services, voting information, and publicly funded education
- working to make online health services and applications for jobs in the Federal Government more accessible