ADA and Rehabilitation Act

Christopher Crouch

June 28, 2016

ETEC 424

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against various individuals with disabilities in public life such as; school, transportation, jobs, and all other open public locations. By making sure all people with disabilities having equal opportunities as everyone else, the ADA is divided into five different titles; Employment, Public Services: State and Local Government, Public Accommodations and Services Operated by Private Entities, Telecommunications, and Miscellaneous Provisions.

The employment title is designed to help people with disabilities access the same employment opportunities and benefits available to people without disabilities. The title also states that it requires employers to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified applicants or employees, such as wheelchair ramps at the office.

As for the Public Services: State and Local Government, the title indicates that public entities to make their programs, services and activities accessible to individuals with disabilities. The title also states that State and Local Government is prohibited to discriminate on the basis of disability by “public entities,” which are programs, services and activities operated by state and local governments.

Public Accommodations and Services Operated by Private Entities, or better known as Businesses, is designed to set the minimum standards for accessibility for alterations and new construction of commercial facilities and privately owned public accommodations. It also requires public accommodations to remove barriers in existing buildings where it is easy to do so without much difficulty or expense.

The Telecommunications title is required to give access to telephone and Internet companies who provide a nationwide system of interstate and intrastate telecommunication relay services, which allows individuals with hearing and speech disabilities to communicate over the telephone. The telecommunications title states that it is also required to provide closed captioning of federally funded public service announcements.

Lastly, the Miscellaneous Provisions contains a variety of provisions relating to the ADA as a whole, including its relationship to other laws, state immunity, its impact on insurance providers and benefits, prohibition against retaliation and coercion, illegal use of drugs, and attorney’s fees. The title also provides a list of certain conditions that are not to be considered as disabilities.

 Another part of the Disability Civil Rights, the Rehabilitation Act, separately section 508 is a section dedicated to making an accessible information technology system that can be operated in a variety of ways and does not rely on a single sense or ability of the user. For example, a system that provides output only in visual format may not be accessible to people with visual impairments and a system that provides output only in audio format may not be accessible to people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Some individuals with disabilities may need accessibility-related software or peripheral devices in order to use systems that comply with Section 508. It also establishes requirements for electronic and information technology developed, maintained, procured, or used by the Federal government.

All information used in this paper about the ADA and Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act can be found at https://www.ada.gov/cguide.htm#anchor65610.

References

"A Guide to Disability Rights Laws." A Guide to Disability Rights Laws. Accessed June 28, 2016. https://www.ada.gov/cguide.htm#anchor65610.