What is the Americans With Disability Act (ADA)?
The Americans with Disability Act (ADA) is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life. This includes jobs, schools, transportation, and all public and private places that are open to the general public. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies mainly to the public sector and exists separately from the Rehabilitation Act (1973) but is generally perceived as an expansion of Section 504 that protects a broader range of individuals with disabilities. The ADA affords similar protections to individuals with disabilities in the public sector. The ADA is divided into five titles (or sections) that relate to different areas of public life:
- Title I relates to Equal Employment Opportunity for people with disabilities
- Title II relates to Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability in State and Local Government Services
- Title III relates to Public Accommodations: Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability by Public Accommodations and in Commercial Facilities
- Title IV provides equal access to Telecommunications and is regulated by the Federal Communication Commission.
- Title V includes Miscellaneous Provisions