People With Disabilities and the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA)

Why learn more about the ADA?

People with disabilities have fought hard for disability rights. However, discrimination is still a reality. It is important to be informed about your rights so that you have the knowledge and tools to recognize when discrimination has occurred and what to do about it. Becoming familiar with community supports and resources, learning about who to contact if discrimination occurs, and educating others about the ADA are key to advocating for your rights as a person with a disability.

What is the ADA?

The ADA is a key civil rights law passed in 1990 that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of community life.

What is the definition of disability under the ADA?

The ADA defines a person with a disability as someone who:

Has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, or
Has a history or record of an impairment (such as cancer that is in remission), or
Is regarded as having such an impairment by others even if the individual does not actually have a disability (such as a person who has scars from a severe burn that does not limit any major life activity).

What are my rights under the ADA?

There are five different titles, or sections, of the ADA that provide protection from discrimination for people with disabilities in different areas of life.

Under Title I, qualified individuals with disabilities are protected in all aspects of employment. It includes reasonable accommodations, or adjustments/changes, that allow for equal access to the job or work environment.
Title II requires state/local governments to give people with disabilities an equal opportunity to benefit from all their programs, services, and activities. This may include places or programs like public schools, parks, voting locations, public transit, or sports leagues.
Title III prohibits discrimination based on disability in places and spaces that offer a service to the public. This includes private entities such as restaurants, hotels, theaters, doctors' offices, pharmacies, etc.

If I believe that I have been discriminated against because of a disability, what should I do?

There are steps you can take if you suspect disability discrimination. These steps will vary depending on your individual case. For information and resources that apply to your situation, contact your regional ADA Center.

Where can I learn more?

Other resources

ADA National Network: What is the Americans with Disabilities Act?: adata.org/learn-about-ada
ADA National Network: Enforcing the Americans With Disabilities Act: adata.org/enforcing-the-ADA
ADA.gov: File a Complaint: https://www.ada.gov/file-a-complaint/
Autistic Self-Advocacy Network: A Self-Advocate’s Guide to the American with Disabilities autisticadvocacy.org/policy/toolkits/ada/
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission: The ADA: Your Employment Rights as an Individual With a Disability: eeoc.gov/publications/ada-your-employment-rights-individual-disability

Suggested Citation: Horowitz, M., Garcia-Torres, M., Gonzalez, O., Parker Harris, S., Gould, R., Waitkuweit, K., Manteca-Gacho, C., and Harniss, M. (2024). People with Disabilities and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Chicago, IL and Seattle, WA. ADA National Network Knowledge Translation Center.

Content was developed via the ADANN Spanish Language Outreach project, and is based on professional consensus of ADA experts and the ADA National Network.

The content of this product was developed under grants from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR grant numbers 90DPAD0004, 90DPAD0011, 90DPAD0003, 90DPAD0008, 90DPAD0005, 90DPAD0012, 90DPAD0010, 90DPAD0007, 90DPAD0014, 90DPAD0006, and 90DPAD0002). NIDILRR is a Center within the Administration for Community Living (ACL), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The contents of this product do not necessarily represent the policy of NIDILRR, ACL, HHS, and you should not assume endorsement by the Federal Government.

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