The Americans with Disabilities Act, called by many the most significant piece of civil-rights legislation since the 1960s, recently celebrated its fifth anniversary.
While we have seen repeated coverage of a few extreme lawsuits filed under the ADA, little recognition has been given to the success stories:
Stories about how ADA transportation regulations have enabled people with disabilities to seek employment or participate in community activities because inaccessible transportation no longer presents a barrier.
Or stories about how the ADA public-accommodations provisions allow people with disabilities to enter a restaurant’s front door, rather than through a loading dock or the kitchen. Or stories about how, according to federal statistics, only 25 percent of workers with disabilities need special accommodations and, when they do, they generally cost $50 or less. Or stories about a recent Harris Poll that found that 82 percent of corporations said the ADA was worth the cost of implementation.
This landmark legislation has secured fundamental and basic civil rights for our members and the rest of our country’s 49 million Americans with physical or mental disabilities. The ADA has made, and continues to make, an enormous difference in our lives. And by enabling people with disabilities to participate meaningfully in all aspects of life, the ADA ultimately benefits the entire country.
