Research Guides: Best Practices in Caring for the Deaf Patient: American with Disabilities Act (ADA)

Introduction to ADA

The Americans with Disabilities Act, a civil rights law modeled after the Civil Rights Act of 1964, was signed into law on July 26, 1990 by President George H.W. Bush. The purpose of the ADA is to ensure that people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else in all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation, and all public and private places that are open to the general public.

The ADA was amended in 2008 by the ADA Amendments Act of 2008 (ADAAA). The main intention of the ADAAA was to broaden the scope of the definition of “disability” under the ADA.

The ADA consists of five titles:

Title I: Employment
Title II: Public Services
Title III: Public Accommodations
Title IV: Telecommunications
Title V: Miscellaneous provisions

ADA Archive
A mix of legal documents, guiding documents for building owners and event planners, and celebrations related to milestones for the Americans with Disabilities Act. Much of the content focuses on people with limited mobility, but some content is about people who are hard of hearing. From the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Departments of Justice.
Research the Americans with Disabilities Act
Read primary sources about the Americans with Disabilities Act and related historical information. Look closely to find links out to other sites about disabilities. From the National Archives.

Government Web Resources

The Department of Justice’s Americans with Disabilities Act
An Introduction to the ADA
Questions & answers about Deafness and hearing impairments in the workplace and the americans with disabilities act
Published by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Additional Online Resources

ADA Library at the Job Accommodation Network
The Job Accommodation Network (JAN)’s ADA Library provides links that lead to information about the ADA and ADAAA. Links leading to information about each title of the ADA is available as well.
ADA National Network
“The ADA National Network provides information, guidance and training on the American with Disabilities Act (ADA), tailored to meet the needs of business, government and individuals at local, regional and national levels.”