The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law on July 26, 1990, by President George H.W. Bush. The ADA is one of America’s most comprehensive pieces of civil rights legislation that prohibits discrimination and guarantees that people with disabilities have the same opportunities as everyone else to participate in the mainstream of American life — to enjoy employment opportunities, to purchase goods and services, and to participate in State and local government programs and services.
Modeled after the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin — and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 — the ADA is an “equal opportunity” law for people with disabilities.
This webinar will give employers an overview of what they need to know in order to best comply with the ADA rules and regulations.
Most street corners in the United States now have curb cuts to accommodate wheelchairs. For the visually impaired, elevators have buttons with Braille characters and announce the floor on which they stop. Movies and television shows offer closed caption text for the hearing impaired.
These are just a few examples of how the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has helped disabled people gain greater independence, inclusion and equal opportunity.
The State Department’s Special Advisor for Persons with Disabilities Judy Heumann said disability rights “are not only important to those who may have a disability. Many others are touched by disability, even if they don’t talk about it.”
“We strengthen those advocates on the ground, their friends and family members, when we DO talk about it, and when we strengthen advocates on the ground, we strengthen their societies too,” she said.
Tune in to this on-demand recorded discussion focused on the history and implications of the ADA with Heumann, Ann Cody, an International Paralympian and member of the International Paralympic Committee, and King Jordan, the former president of Gallaudet University.
ADA 25 Celebrate
Full Text for Audio and Video Description
TRT: 46 second video
Throughout video: President’s Own U.S. Marine Band plays “Stars and Stripes Forever.”
Opening with black background with white letters saying “coming July 2015.”
Narrative: “coming July 2015.”
Americans with Disabilities logo, with red ADA above white line with number 25 in blue below along with the words Americans with Disabilities Act and 1990-2015.
Next image on right side is historic black and white picture of two young men in wheelchairs with Disability Flag (U.S flag with stars in blue field displaying universal access symbol (profile of person in wheelchair)) in front of a Greyhound bus protesting its inaccessibility.
Narrative spoken and reads: We Demanded Access
Audio descriptive says: Protestors in front of bus.
Next Image: Left side is ADA 25 logo followed by vertical graphics in white and blue read: “Disability Rights are Civil Rights” then repeat of ADA25 logo. On the right side is historic black and white photo of rows of marchers led by people (multi-cultural and racial and children to seniors) in wheelchairs with handmade signs including incorporating slogans from the civil rights movement such as “We shall overcome” and “Access is a Civil Right”
Narrative spoken and reads: We pushed for civil rights!
Audio descriptive says: Marching with sign “we shall overcome.
Next Image: Historic black and white photo of three demonstrators crawling up the steps to the U.S. Capitol on March 12, 1990.
Narrative spoken and reads:” We climbed the Capitol Steps.”
Next images: Against black background individual words zoom onto screen and enlarge reading: “and then on July 26, 1990 “, “It” “Was”.
Narrative: and then on July 26, 1990 it was…
Next Image: ADA logo reappears on left side and on right side historic black and white photo of President George H.W. Bush sitting at table on the lawn of the White House surrounded by Rev. Harold Wilke, Evan Kemp, Chairman of the Equal Opportunities Commission; Sandra Parrino of the National Council on Disability; Justin Dart of the Presidential Commission on Employment of People with Disabilities.
Narrative spoken and reads: “on July 26, 1990 it was signed!!!”
Audio descriptive said: President George Bush signing Americans with Disabilities Act.
Next image: black screen with white letters entering left to right reading “Celebrating 25 years of the ADA” with ADA 25 logo appearing over letters in the center with bursts of circular white fireworks appearing behind
Next Image: Previous screen splits in middle to black screen with ADA 25 logo and on left “Disability Rights are Civil Rights.” Right side of screen color picture of ADA Legacy The Road to Freedom bus parked outside along the front of the Ed Roberts Campus, Berkeley, CA. Passing next to bus is man with white service dog.
5 point white star outline bursts to fill screen.
Continued fireworks and music.
Narrative spoken and reads: “Join in the celebration” (above the bus) and below “www.adalegacy.com”
Audio descriptive says: ADA Freedom Bus at Ed Roberts Campus
Continued fireworks and music
Last image: Disability flag in foreground in front of the dome of the U.S. Capitol.
Narrative spoken and reads: “Nothing about us without us!”
Audio descriptive says: U.S. Capitol Dome behind Disability Flag.
Video goes to Black
ADA 25 Celebration PSA Acknowledgements
Mark Johnson, Chair, The ADA Legacy Project
Helen E. Walsh, Video Design & Production
Kristen Vincent, Project Coordinator, the ADA Legacy
Dan Wilkins, ADA25 Logo Design
Tom Olin, Historical Black & White Photographs
Helen E. Walsh, Additional Photography
Helen E. Walsh, Voiceover
GJ Stillson MacDonnell, Descriptive Narration
President’s Own U.S. Marine Band, “Stars & Stripes, Forever “(John Phillip Sousa)
GJ Stillson MacDonnell, Transcript
Produced at Diverse Disability Media, Berkeley, CA.
Wheelchair Rights - See Atruthsoldier.wordpress.com 
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