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Americans with Disabilities Act (1990) Facts & Worksheets

In 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) became law. The ADA is a civil rights law that outlawed discrimination against people with disabilities in all aspects of public life, including work, schools, transportation, and all public and private venues open to the general public.

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In 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) became law. The ADA is a civil rights law that outlawed discrimination against people with disabilities in all aspects of public life, including work, schools, transportation, and all public and private venues open to the general public.

See the fact file below for more information about the American With Disabilities Act (1990), or you can download our 24-page ADA worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

WHAT IS THE AMERICAN DISABILITIES ACT?

  • The ADA outlaws disability discrimination and ensures that people with impairments have an equal opportunity to participate in mainstream American life.
  • This federal law, passed in 1990, made it illegal to discriminate against disabled people in employment, transportation, public accommodations, communications, and government activities.
  • The ADA outlaws discrimination against people with disabilities by private businesses, state and municipal governments, employment agencies, and labor unions. 
  • Employers are also required under the ADA to offer reasonable adjustments for an employee with a handicap to perform their job function.

WHAT ARE THE DISABILITIES INCLUDED IN THE ADA?

  • The ADA defines disabilities as both mental and physical medical issues. A condition must not be severe or permanent to be considered a disability. Regulations of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission include a list of conditions that should be quickly considered disabilities. Below are some conditions that ADA covers.
  • There are specific conditions that are widely considered anti-social or lead to illegal action, such as kleptomania, pedophilia, exhibitionism, voyeurism, and so on, are excluded from the definition of disability to prevent exploitation of the statute’s aim.
  • Furthermore, sexual orientation is no longer considered a disorder and is not covered by the definition of disability. However, the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit said in 2022 that the ADA protects individuals with gender dysphoria, which may assist transgender people in gaining legal protections that they would otherwise be unable to get.

SECTIONS OF THE ADA

  • To be covered under the ADA, a person must have a physical or mental impairment that limits one or more main living activities. The provisions of the ADA are classified into five categories.

Title I – Employment

  • It aids people with impairments in gaining access to the same work opportunities and benefits as people without disabilities.
  • Employers with 15 or more employees are eligible.
  • Employers are required to make reasonable accommodations for qualified applicants or employees. A reasonable accommodation is an adjustment that allows employees with disabilities to do their duties without incurring the employer undue hardship (unnecessary effort or expense).
  • Disability is defined, rules for the reasonable accommodation process are established, and medical examinations and questions are addressed.

Title II – Public Services: State and Local Government

  • Discrimination based on disability is prohibited by public entities such as state and local government agencies.
  • Requires government agencies to make their programs, services, and activities accessible to people with disabilities.
  • Outlines the needs for self-evaluation and planning; making appropriate changes to policies, practices, and procedures to avoid discrimination; recognizing architectural barriers; and successfully communicating with people with hearing, visual, or speech problems.
  • The United States Department of Justice regulates and enforces Title II of the Act.

Title III – Public Accommodations and Services Operated by Private Entities

  • Discrimination against people with disabilities is prohibited in public accommodations. Public accommodations are privately owned, leased, or maintained establishments such as hotels, restaurants, retail merchants, physicians’ offices, private schools, daycare centers, health clubs, sports stadiums, and movie theaters.
  • Establishes the minimum accessibility standards for commercial facility renovations and new construction, as well as privately held public accommodations. It also requires public accommodations to remove obstacles in existing structures if doing so is simple and inexpensive.

Title IV – Telecommunications

  • Requires telephone and Internet service providers to provide a countrywide network of interstate and intrastate telecommunications relay services that enable people with hearing or speech problems to communicate over the phone.
  • Closed captioning is required for federally financed public service announcements.

Title V – Miscellaneous Provisions

  • Contains several sections relevant to the ADA in general, including its relationship to other laws, state immunity, its influence on insurance providers and benefits, restriction on retribution and coercion, illicit drug use, and attorney’s fees.
  • A list of conditions that are not deemed impairments is provided.

ADA AMENDMENTS ACT, 2008

  • The ADA defines a covered disability as a physical or mental impairment that significantly limits one or more major living activities, a history of having such an impairment, or being perceived to have such an impairment. The Equal Job Opportunity Commission (EEOC) was tasked with interpreting the 1990 law regarding job discrimination.
  • Former United States President George W. Bush signed the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 into law on September 25, 2008. The modification increased the definition of disability, allowing the ADA’s protections to be extended to a broader number of persons.
  • The Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA) also added examples of major life activities to the ADA, including, but not limited to, “caring for oneself, performing manual tasks, seeing, hearing, eating, sleeping, walking, standing, lifting, bending, speaking, breathing, learning, reading, concentrating, thinking, communicating, and working.”
  • The statute overturned a 1999 US Supreme Court decision that ruled that an employee was not incapacitated if the impairment could be rectified by mitigating measures; it expressly states that such impairment must be established without taking such ameliorative techniques into account. 
  • It also reversed the court’s requirement that an impairment that significantly limits one main life activity likewise limits others to be designated a handicap.

IMPACT OF ADA ON ACCESSIBILITY

  • The ADA created criteria for accessible design in public places, such as automated entrances, ramps, and elevators for wheelchairs. Water fountains must be placed at accessible heights for people with impairments.
  • Some examples of workplace accommodations include providing a sign language interpreter during a job interview for a deaf or hard of hearing applicant, modifying a work schedule to meet the needs of a person in need of treatment, or restructuring an existing facility to make it easily accessible to people with disabilities.
  • Individuals with disabilities will benefit from the legislation’s promotion of social inclusion. It guarantees them equal access to government services, education, employment, and other opportunities. This has aided in the reduction of stigma and the promotion of a more diverse and inclusive society.
  • The ADA has improved the health outcomes of people with disabilities. The ADA enhances the well-being of people with disabilities by increasing access to healthcare.
  • Overall, the ADA has had a tremendous influence on the lives of millions of disabled Americans. It encourages equality of treatment, increased accessibility, and social inclusion. The law is still a pivotal tool in the battle for disability rights and equality. 

Americans with Disabilities Act (1990) Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about the Americans with Disabilities Act (1990) across 24 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about the ADA. The ADA is a civil rights law that outlawed discrimination against people with disabilities in all aspects of public life, including work, schools, transportation, and all public and private venues open to the general public.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

  1. Americans with Disabilities Act (1990) Facts
  2. Collage your Thoughts
  3. Then and Now
  4. For Your Eyes Only
  5. Breaking Down
  6. ADA in Everyday Life
  7. Law to Equality?
  8. Is it Fair?
  9. At Present
  10. Protecting the Rights
  11. Towards Inclusion

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)?

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal law enacted in 1990 to prohibit discrimination against individuals with disabilities in various areas, including employment, public services, public accommodations, and telecommunications. The ADA aims to ensure equal opportunities and access for people with disabilities.

Who is protected under the ADA?

The ADA protects individuals with disabilities, defined as those who have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, have a record of such an impairment, or are regarded as having such an impairment. This includes a wide range of physical and mental conditions.

What does the ADA require in terms of accessibility?

The ADA mandates that public accommodations and commercial facilities be designed, constructed, and altered in a way that ensures they are accessible to individuals with disabilities. This includes features like ramps, accessible parking, and accommodations for individuals with sensory impairments. The law also requires reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities in the workplace.

How does the ADA address employment discrimination?

The ADA prohibits employers from discriminating against qualified individuals with disabilities in all aspects of employment, including recruitment, hiring, promotions, training, and benefits. Employers are also required to make reasonable accommodations for employees with disabilities, unless doing so would create an undue hardship.

What are the remedies for ADA violations?

Individuals who believe their rights under the ADA have been violated can file complaints with the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) or file lawsuits in federal or state courts. Remedies for ADA violations may include injunctive relief, monetary damages, and attorney’s fees. Additionally, the DOJ can initiate lawsuits on behalf of individuals or intervene in private lawsuits to enforce ADA compliance.

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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