July 26 is ADA34 Day

Thirty-four years ago on July 26, 1990, President Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act into law. This historic document not only guarantees the rights of Americans with disabilities, but has served as a model for disability civil rights legislation in nations around the globe. There are five sections, or Titles, in the law.

Title I of the ADA legislation protects persons with disabilities in the employment practices of private employers with 15 or more employees, state and local governments, employment agencies, labor unions, and other employers. Title II offers protection in the programs and activities of state and local government. Title III applies to private entities that are considered places of public accommodation. Title IV requires telecommunications companies (phone and internet) to provide relay services for hearing and speech impaired individuals. It also requires closed captioning of federally funded public service announcements. Title V contains miscellaneous provisions addressing, for example, the impact on insurance providers and a prohibition against coercion and retaliation. Title V also lists certain conditions that are not considered as disabilities.

What can you do to celebrate ADA34 Day. First, and perhaps most important, learn about the rights and responsibilities set forth in this document. A good overview of the Americans with Disabilities Act is here: https://adata.org/factsheet/ADA-overview

The ADA National Network has provided a Toolkit for ADA34 Day. It includes tweets and other ways to share the anniversary with your social media contacts. Find the ADA34 Toolkit here: https://adaanniversary.org/