In 1990, the US made their first step toward assessing the needs of those with
disabilities. This act was called the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and it serves as a
stepping stone for future endeavors in regards to making lives simpler for those affected from
disabilities.
One important thing that the ADA has done is help the disabled have better access to
schooling. Before the ADA, education was something that was denied to disabled Americans.
Discrimination was heavily prominent as well, and this would no longer be tolerated after the act
was passed. Adam Estapa, appreciates the ADA for assisting him in school. He comments on
being provided with dictionaries that contain larger text, and being able to zoom in on the text in
online exams. Being born with Stargardt’s disease and Nystagmus, reading is difficult, so these
small gestures can be key for helping everyone have the same opportunities.
Judy Heumann was a victim of the polio epidemic in 1949. Polio is a disease that affects
the ability to move certain parts of the body. She recalls trying to register into school, but the
principal refused because she was a “fire hazard”. Because of this, she was not able to attend
her Kindergarten year. Heumann advocates and supports the ADA because she sees needs
that are still unmet. She describes not having viable transportation to many areas like the bus,
trains, and even the bathroom. She even claims that universities and colleges would deny
studying certain fields because of the prejudice concerning what the disabled could do.
It is also important to note that schools also have a responsibility to deal with students
having needs that are not being met. If needs are not being met, the ADA has the ability to step
in and assist any students who need any resources.
Another issue that the ADA has addressed is giving access to public entertainment to all
Americans. The movie theater is a place where Americans all gather to watch a story unfold
together as an audience. Before the ADA, Laura Griffith lost hope in being able to go herself.
She claims to have low vision, so after movie theaters began to provide audio description she
went to see the film, Hidden Figures. There, she got headphones that would describe the
actions in between dialogue that appeared on the screen. She describes herself bursting into
tears after the movie because she was so grateful to be able to experience a movie like
everyone else. Those who are deaf also get provided closed captioning devices that can help
them experience and understand movies. Clearly, disabled Americans greatly benefited from the
ADA in regards to leisure and enjoyment.
To continue, one of the most significant problems that the ADA has addressed is
accessibility. Jim Hutchings, was born missing fingers, including his thumbs. Having shorter
arms as well, he had difficulty opening doors. He mentions that in public facilities ball-shaped
door knobs are hard to find now that the ADA’s guidelines say that doors should be able to be
opened with one hand without twisting the wrist along with easy grasping. Because of this,
U-shaped door handles are more common. He also notes that elevators and ramps are very
helpful for him because he doesn’t have to carry them up and down stairs. It can be said that the ADA is continuing to make public spaces more accessible for Americans, as improvement
can always be made.
My personal experience has to be seeing the ADA in action with public facilities. In
school, I have seen kids have their own caretakers if they have a disability ranging from autism
to genetic absence of limbs. They are able to do very well educationally and often receive praise
from teachers for doing so well in school. Without the ADA, these capable children may not
have had the opportunities they do have to learn with other students and succeed educationally.
When going to public places there are often large, automatic doors, which can help those with
wheelchairs have easy access in and out. If they are not automatic, I often see handicap
buttons that are placed in an accessible area to open up doors, making them wheelchair
accessible among other things. Handicap parking spots are also very helpful for those who are
disabled to have closer access to almost any public place. Ramps and elevators are widely
popular so that the disabled have easy access to public places.
Needless to say, the ADA has become one of the most significant acts that have
impacted Americans. This does not mean, however, that there is not a long way to go to
inclusivity. Not every building is accessible, and the disabled are still struggling to find jobs.
Discrimination from employers leads to many disabled people being left in poverty. Disabled
children are also less likely to graduate from high school and attend college and may be
disciplined more than the average student. These are all problems that need to be worked on.
As Americans, advocating for inclusivity is a priority among other things, and I’m grateful that I
was able to learn more about the struggles that disabled Americans have faced to achieve the
Americans with Disabilities Act.
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