The ADA is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in many areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation, and many public and private places that are open to the general public. The purpose of the law is to make sure that people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else. It guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in public accommodations, employment, transportation, state and local government services, and telecommunications. The ADA is divided into five titles (or sections) that relate to different areas of public life.
The original ADA was signed into law in 1990. In 2008, the ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA) was passed by Congress because of several Supreme Court decisions that had narrowly interpreted the ADA definition of “disability.” The effect of narrowing the definition of disability was to deny the law’s protection to many individuals with conditions such as cancer, diabetes, and epilepsy who had been discriminated against because of their disabilities. The law expanded on the ADA definition of “disability” to ensure that it would be easier for a wider range of individuals to be protected by the ADA.
