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What is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)?

Updated over 2 weeks ago

The ADA, or Americans with Disabilities Act, was signed into law on July 26, 1990, by President George H.W. Bush. It prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life.

The Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA) was signed into law in 2008 and took effect on January 1, 2009. It introduced several significant changes to the ADA’s definition of "disability," which apply to all titles of the Act.

Below is a summary of the five titles:

Title I – Employment

Ensures equal employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities.

Title II – State and Local Government

Prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in state and local government services.

Title III – Public Accommodations

Prohibits discrimination by public accommodations and commercial facilities.

Title IV – Telecommunications

Requires telephone and internet companies to provide nationwide relay services so individuals with hearing and speech disabilities can communicate via telephone.

Title V – Miscellaneous Provisions

Covers various topics, including the ADA’s relationship to other laws, state immunity, insurance, benefits, retaliation, coercion, illegal drug use, and attorney’s fees.

Although the ADA doesn’t explicitly mention websites, many courts interpret websites as public accommodations under Title III. As a result, thousands of private companies have faced legal action for having websites that are inaccessible to people with disabilities.

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