Carlos Taylor Adaptive Computer Technology Specialist

 Rehabilitation Act of 1973  Americans with Disabilities Act

 A physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life activities of such individual  A record of such impairment  Being regarded as having such an impairment

Morality model – A disability is viewed as a punishment Medical Model – A disability is a disaster and must be fixed. – Decisions about the person with a disability are made by someone other than that person. Independent Living Model – The disability is not the problem. Instead, it is the environment and social views that pose challenges to people with disabilities.

 Stressed consumer involvement  Title V advanced civil rights for people with disabilities ◦ Section 501: Prohibits discrimination against hiring people with disabilities in federal agencies ◦ Section 504: Prohibits discriminating against people with disabilities in any federally supported program or activity including hospitals and school districts

 Title I: Employment  Title II: State and local governments  Title III: Places of public accommodations  Title IV: Telecommunications  Title V: MISC.

 Signed into law September 25 th, 2008  “The Act emphasizes that the definition of disability should be construed in favor of broad coverage of individuals to the maximum extent permitted by the terms of the ADA and generally shall not require extensive analysis.”  Applies to the ADA and Rehabilitation Act of 1973  (

 Title II and Title III ◦ Took effect March 15, 2011 ◦ If a structure was compliant with the original ADA, then no immediate changes are necessary to comply with the regulations. However, future plans must comply with the ADA. ◦ Venues must sell tickets for accessible seating. ◦ “The rule defines "service animal" as a dog that has been individually trained to do work or perform tasks for an individual with a disability.” The work or task a dog has been trained to provide must be directly related to the person’s disability. ◦

 Title II ◦ “The final rule clarifies the requirements that apply to correctional facilities. It requires three percent of newly constructed or altered cells to be accessible.”  Title III ◦ “The rule establishes requirements for reservations made by places of lodging, including procedures that will allow individuals with disabilities to make reservations for accessible guest rooms during the same hours and in the same manner as other guests, and requirements that will require places of lodging to identify and describe accessible features of a guest room…”

 The combination of technology, public policies, and attitudes have given people with disabilities more opportunities today than ever.  Although the Rehab act of 1973 and the ADA have tremendous impact, more education and work still exist to provide people with disabilities equal opportunities.