On July 26, 2010, our nation commemorates the 20th anniversary of President George Bush’s landmark signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The ADA was created to ensure equality and accessibility for any and all individuals with disabilities.
Among the mandates of the ADA are that employers may not discriminate against individuals with disabilities when it comes to hiring and/or promotion, if the person is otherwise qualified for the job. In addition, employers, as well as other public accommodations (i.e. restaurants, hotels and retail stores), must make their facilities accessible to those with disabilities. Accessibility can be achieved through the installation of wheelchair ramps, automatic doors, accessible restroom facilities etc. Also, the ADA mandates that individuals with disabilities have access to public transportation.
Since its signing, the ADA has resulted in monumental improvements in accessibility, as well as acceptance and overall social attitudes towards individuals with disabilities.
Today, people with disabilities benefit from the ADA advancements made over the last 20 years. We can only hope that in the next 20 years even more advancements and improvements will be made. To learn more about the ADA, log-on to http://adaanniversary.org/ and/or http://www.ada.gov/.