ADA/Disability Rights

President George Bush signs into law the Americans with Disabilities Act during a July 26, 1990 ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House on the South Lawn of the White House. With the President are sitting (L to R): Evan Kemp, Chairman, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Justin Dart, Chairman, President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities. L to R, standing: Rev. Harold Wilke and Swift Parrino, Chairperson, National Council on Disability.

President George H.W. Bush signs into law the Americans with Disabilities Act during a July 26, 1990 ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House.
With the President are sitting (L to R): Evan Kemp, Chairman, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Justin Dart, Chairman, President’s Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities. L to R, standing: Rev. Harold Wilke and Swift Parrino, Chairperson, National Council on Disability.
White House Photograph Office/National Archives

  • Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (Website maintained by the US Department of Justice)
    • The ADA prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in employment, State and local government, public accommodations, commercial facilities, transportation, and telecommunications. It also applies to the United States Congress.
    • Who is Protected by the ADA? The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), as amended, prohibits discrimination against qualified individuals with a disability. Specifically, the ADA protects three categories of individuals:
      • Individuals who have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.
      • Individuals who have a record of such an impairment
      • Individuals who are regarded as having an impairment. Congress intended the ADA definition of disability to be construed broadly and as such The ADA does not specifically name all of the impairments that are covered.
    • Who is NOT covered by the ADA?
      • The definition of disability does not include simple physical characteristics, common personality traits, or environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantages.
      • The ADA also excludes coverage for individuals who currently use illegal drugs, certain sexual disorders and preferences, compulsive gambling, kleptomania, and pyromania.  

 

 

  • The ADA Legacy Project:
    • The mission of The ADA Legacy Project is to honor the contributions of people with disabilities and their allies by:
      • preserving the history of the disability rights movement;
      • celebrating its milestones; and
      • educating the public and future generations of advocates.

       

  • Disability Rights Montana
    • Part of the National Disability Rights Network, Disability Rights Montana (DRM) is Montana’s Protection & Advocacy, Client Assistance Program (P &A, CAP).  The mission of DRM is to protect and advocate for the human, legal, and civil rights of Montanans with disabilities while advancing dignity, equality, and self-determination.
    • DRM is guided by the philosophy that:
      • People with disabilities are full and equal people under the law and are entitled to equal access to opportunities afforded to all members of American society.
      • People with disabilities are entitled to be free from abuse, neglect, exploitation, discrimination, and isolation, and to be treated with respect and dignity.
      • People with disabilities have access to age-appropriate services and supports that are shaped by the unique needs and preferences of each individual. Such services and supports are designed to foster independent, productive, and integrated community life.
      • People with disabilities have the right to make choices about all aspects of their life including daily routines and major life events.

 

 

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