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Contact Information: 202-272-2004 Voice Comments and Feedback:
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The Impact of the Americans with Disabilities Act: Assessing the Progress Toward Achieving the Goals of the ADA National Council on Disability National Council on Disability The Impact of the Americans with Disabilities Act: Assessing the Progress Toward Achieving the Goals of the ADA This report is also available in alternative formats and on the award-winning National Council on Disability (NCD) Web site (www.ncd.gov). Publication date: July 26, 2007 202-272-2004 Voice The views contained in this report do not necessarily represent those of the Administration as this and all NCD documents are not subject to the A-19 executive branch review process. Letter of Transmittal July 26, 2007 The President Dear Mr. President: The National Council on Disability (NCD) is charged with gathering information about the implementation, effectiveness, and impact of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). In keeping with this requirement, I submit this new report, entitled The Impact of the Americans with Disabilities Act: Assessing the Progress Toward Achieving the Goals of the ADA, which addresses many of the goals of your New Freedom Initiative pertaining to community integration, participation, and enhancement of the independence of people with disabilities at home, at work, and throughout the course of their daily lives. The purpose of the ADA is "to provide a clear and comprehensive national mandate for the elimination of discrimination against individuals with disabilities." This report describes a two-year retrospective study and review of the impact the ADA has had on the lives of Americans with disabilities over the past sixteen years, with particular focus on the four major goals of the ADA-equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency. NCD consulted disability experts and ADA stakeholders from around the country through interviews, public forums, and focus groups, and analyzed existing data and information sources to gather information about the impact of the ADA . The findings are encouraging but far from complete. The provisions of the ADA addressing architectural, transportation, and communication accessibility have changed the face of American society in numerous concrete ways, enhancing the independence, full participation, inclusion, and equality of opportunity for Americans with disabilities. Americans with disabilities report having greater access to goods and services from businesses, state and local governments, and their local communities. People with mobility impairments have experienced substantial improvements in physical access to transportation, businesses and government agencies. As workers, people with disabilities are more likely to receive accommodations and less likely to be terminated due to their disabilities. However, obtaining employment remains difficult for people with visible and severe disabilities. Disparities still exist in access to health insurance, health care, and financial assets for people with disabilities, as compared to people without disabilities. Access to information, particularly the Internet, is inconsistent, at best, for people who are visually impaired. Progress toward the goal of economic self-sufficiency appears to be the goal having the least success. The ADA impact report contains recommendations for addressing the barriers that are preventing full achievement of the overarching goals of the ADA, and NCD remains committed to working with the Administration, Congress, and the public to achieve the promise of the ADA for all Americans-the elimination of disability-based discrimination in all aspects of society. Sincerely,
John
R. Vaughn National Council on Disability Members and Staff Members John R. Vaughn, Chairperson Patricia Pound, First Vice Chairperson Glenn Anderson, Ph.D., Second Vice Chairperson Milton Aponte, J.D. Victoria Ray Carlson Chad Colley Robert R. Davila, Ph.D. Graham Hill Young Woo Kang, Ph.D. Kathleen Martinez Lisa Mattheiss Anne M. Rader Marco Rodriguez Cynthia Wainscott Linda Wetters Staff Michael C. Collins, Executive Director Martin Gould, Ed.D., Director of Research and Technology Mark S. Quigley, Director of Communications Julie Carroll, Senior Attorney Advisor Joan M. Durocher, Senior Attorney Advisor Geraldine Drake Hawkins, Ph.D., Senior Program Analyst Pamela O'Leary, Sign Language Interpreter Mark E. Seifarth, Congressional Liaison Brenda Bratton, Executive Assistant Stacey S. Brown, Staff Assistant Carla Nelson, Secretary The National Council on Disability wishes to express
its appreciation to Patricia M. Jackson, Program Manager Lockheed Martin
Services, Inc., Peter Blanck, Ph.D., J.D., Chair, Burton Blatt Institute,
Table of Contents Perceptions of the ADA Overall 25 I. Equality of Opportunity. 29 (a). Light Rail and Commuter Rail 32 d. Input from People with Disabilities. 38 a. Private Over-the-Road Bus Service. 39 iii. Input from People with Disabilities. 41 3. Recommendations - Transportation. 41 B. Sidewalks and Curb Ramps. 41 c. Input from People with Disabilities. 44 3. Recommendations - Sidewalks and Curb Ramps. 44 C. Places of Public Accommodation. 45 1. Physical Accessibility for People with Mobility Impairments. 45 c. Input from People with Disabilities. 49 2. Access for People with Vision, Hearing, and Speech Disabilities. 52 c. Input from People with Disabilities. 52 3. Recommendations - Places of Public Accommodations. 53 D. Accessibility of Telecommunications. 54 3. Input from People with Disabilities. 57 4. Recommendations - Accessibility of Telecommunications. 58 A. State and Local Government Services. 59 3. Input from People with Disabilities. 63 4. Recommendations - State and Local Government Services. 64 3. Input from People with Disabilities. 70 C. Other Forms of Civic Participation. 70 |
