The impact of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990

8y 6retchen L. Van Meer and Char1e5 D. 519wart N0rthern 1111n015 Un1ver51ty 1. 1 n t r 0 d U c t 1 0 n 7he A m e r 1 c a n 5 W1th D15a6111t1e5 Act 0f 1990 (ADA) wa5 519ned 1nt0 1aw 0n Ju1y 26, 1990. 7he ADA ha5 6een ca11ed the m05t 1mp0rtant c1v11 r19ht5 1e9151at10n 51nce the C1v11 R19ht5 Act 0f 1964. 1t p r 0 v 1 d e 5 a 9reat 0pp0rtun1ty f0r th05e 0f u5 1n the c0mputer 5c1ence c0mmun1ty. 7h15 1andmark 1e9151at10n 15 expected t0 have a far reach1n9 1mpact, 1f f0r n0 0ther rea50n than the 5heer num6er 0f per50n5 affected. 7he pream61e t0 the ADA e5t1mate5 that there are 43 m 1 1 1 1 0 n Amer1Can5 w1th d15a6111t1e5. 51nce the p 0 p u 1 a t 1 0 n 0f the U n 1 t e d 5tate5 15 appr0x1mate1y 241 m11110n, th15 mean5 we are t a 1 k 1 n 9 a60ut near1y 18% 0f the p0pu1at10n. 7he ADA mandate5 e m p 1 0 y m e n t and acc0mm0dat10n 0f 4ua11f1ed 1nd1v1dua15 w1th d15a6111t1e5, and many 0f the5e adapt1ve a1d5 are c0mpUter-6a5ed. Let u5 f1r5t 100k at the c0ntent5 0f the ADA. 15 1nc1uded 1n f1ve part5 p1u5 a pream61e. c0ntent5 0f the ADA: 7he 6 U 1 k 0f the Act An 0ut11ne 0f the Pream61e 5ect10n 1: 7a61e 0f C0ntent5 5ect10n 2 : F 1 n d 1 n 9 5 and Purp05e5 5eCt10n 3 : D e f 1 n 1 t 1 0 n 5 71t1e 1-Emp10yment 71t1e 11-Pu611c 5erv1ce5 71t1e 111-PU611C ACC0mm0dat10n5 and 5erv1ce5 0perated 6y Pr1vate Ent1t1e5 71t1e 1V-7e1ec0mmUn1cat10n5 71t1e V-M15ce11ane0U5 Pr0V1510n5 7h15 p a p e r 15 11m1ted t0 the pr0v1510n5 0f 71t1e 1, Emp10yment. We w111 100k at c0mputer-6a5ed adapt1ve a1d5 t0 ena61e pe0p1e W1th d 1 5 a 6 1 1 1 t 1 e 5 t0 6e emp10yed. We w111 a150 100k m0re 5pec1f1ca11y at type5 0f d15a6111t1e5 1n the next 5eCt10n. 11. D 1 5 a 6 1 1 1 t 1 e 5 Def1ned A d15a6111ty, a5 def1ned 6y the ADA, 15: (A) a phy51Ca1 0r menta1 1mpa1rment that 5u65tant1a11y 11m1t5 0ne 0r m0re 0f the maj0r 11fe act1v1t1e5 0f 5Uch 1nd1v1dua1;