The Americans with Disabilities Act
Oct. is National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). The University of Hartford Disabilities Affinity Network celebrates UHart's Disabilities Acceptance Month through weekly strategic UNotes. This we week focus on the topic of The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
History of the Americans with Disabilities Act
Authored and championed by Congressman Tony Coelho (D-CA) in 1988 and signed into law by President George H.W. Bush in 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has a lot of history behind it. It was designed to mirror the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and the ADA protects people who have or have had or are perceived to have physical or mental impairments that substantial affect one or more areas of their lives. The ADA doesn’t enumerate what constitutes a disability, it just ensures equal opportunities under the law. These opportunities extend to employment, public services or accommodations, and telecommunications, including closed-captioning of public service announcements.
Earlier legislation, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, also ensured equal opportunities for those with disabilities but mainly those employed by the federal government. At the instigation of the National Council on Disability, the ADA was further amended in 2008 to improve upon the definitions relied on in the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, making it more broadly inclusive. The National Council on Disability was also instrumental in assessing the need for and passing the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
Refinements continue. In 2010, the Department of Justice published Standards for Accessible Design and guidance for their implementation. And in 2019 the courts affirmed that ADA standards for accessibility also pertain to online sites and apps of business, not just their physical buildings. Even now, a guidance is being written on those affected by “long COVID” and their protection under the Americans with Disabilities Act.
For more information: https://www.ada.gov
This UNote is sponsored by the UHart Disabilities Affinity Network.
For questions about the Disabilities Affinity Network contact Ben Ide bide@hartford.edu or Dave Stender stender@hartford.edu