Oregon State University will be celebrating the 30th anniversary of the ADA throughout the 2020-2021 academic year. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law on July 26, 1990.
Disability is diversity. Disability is part of the human experience and the inclusion of disabled people in all aspects of society (including places of work, religion, education, and recreation) is integral to achieving social justice. As the fight for the ADA and other important pieces of legislation (e.g. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act) demonstrate, disabled people have always been part of the fight to expand and improve civil liberties in the U.S. While the ADA is a significant part of disability histories and its provisions have improved the lives of many disabled Americans over the past 30 years, the struggle for equity, justice, and inclusion for disabled people continues today. People with disabilities continue to experience discrimination and marginalization, such as massive unemployment, lower wages, unequal access to education and healthcare, and negative attitudes and behaviors toward disability.
Additional information:
- Census Bureau Disability Statistics – Over 40 million people with a disability in the U.S.