Accessibility Perspectives
International Views
How do countries around the world view accessibility?
On June 13, 2005 the Canadian Congress passed the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act or the AODA. This act is the Canadian version of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). Canada is one of the few developed countries in the world that have paid attention to accessibility for the disabled. The purpose of the AODA is to recognize the discrimination of the disabled people of Ontario Canada. More importantly the main purpose of the AODA is to benefit all Ontarians by developing, implementing and enforcing accessibility standards to make their lives simpler.
Canada and the United States continued to lead the way in right for the disabled. With the dawn of the twenty-first century the international community is making a big push for the rights of disabled people around the world. An example of this is when the United Nations has its yearly convention on the rights of persons with disabilities. This convention encourages the members of the United Nations to become involved in and aware of their disabled citizens.
On June 13, 2005 the Canadian Congress passed the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act or the AODA. This act is the Canadian version of the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA). Canada is one of the few developed countries in the world that have paid attention to accessibility for the disabled. The purpose of the AODA is to recognize the discrimination of the disabled people of Ontario Canada. More importantly the main purpose of the AODA is to benefit all Ontarians by developing, implementing and enforcing accessibility standards to make their lives simpler.
Canada and the United States continued to lead the way in right for the disabled. With the dawn of the twenty-first century the international community is making a big push for the rights of disabled people around the world. An example of this is when the United Nations has its yearly convention on the rights of persons with disabilities. This convention encourages the members of the United Nations to become involved in and aware of their disabled citizens.
National Views
How does the United States view people with disabilities?
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law under the leadership of President George H.W. Bush on July 26, 1990. The law is one of the most comprehensive civil rights legislation which prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability. It guarantees that people with disabilities have the same opportunities as every other American. It ensures that the disabled have job opportunities, that they can purchase goods and services and that they can take part in State and local government programs and services. To be protected by the rights stated in this act, one must have a disability which is a "physical or mental impairment that limits life activities, a person who has a history or record of an impairment, or is perceived by others as having such an impairment." The ADA cannot specifically list every impairment. The ADA guarantees and protects the disabled in many ways. In 2011 Attorney General Eric Holder signed the revised and final regulations of the Department of Justice. The revisions made by Attorney General Holder specifically apply to Title II and III of ADA and were made effective March 15, 2011. The revisions of Title II state that people with disabilities cannot be discriminated against in local, state or national governmental activities. The revisions to Title III state that people with disabilities cannot be discriminated against in places of public accommodation. Some examples are restaurants, movie theaters, schools, daycare facilities, recreational facilities and doctors offices. The revisions to these titles are just a few of the more recent advancements in the ADA.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law under the leadership of President George H.W. Bush on July 26, 1990. The law is one of the most comprehensive civil rights legislation which prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability. It guarantees that people with disabilities have the same opportunities as every other American. It ensures that the disabled have job opportunities, that they can purchase goods and services and that they can take part in State and local government programs and services. To be protected by the rights stated in this act, one must have a disability which is a "physical or mental impairment that limits life activities, a person who has a history or record of an impairment, or is perceived by others as having such an impairment." The ADA cannot specifically list every impairment. The ADA guarantees and protects the disabled in many ways. In 2011 Attorney General Eric Holder signed the revised and final regulations of the Department of Justice. The revisions made by Attorney General Holder specifically apply to Title II and III of ADA and were made effective March 15, 2011. The revisions of Title II state that people with disabilities cannot be discriminated against in local, state or national governmental activities. The revisions to Title III state that people with disabilities cannot be discriminated against in places of public accommodation. Some examples are restaurants, movie theaters, schools, daycare facilities, recreational facilities and doctors offices. The revisions to these titles are just a few of the more recent advancements in the ADA.
Local Views
How does The City of Austin view people with disabilities?
The city of Austin has an office in the human resources department specifically allocated for ADA issues. This office is called the Americans With Disabilities Act office. To be more specific this office is responsible for making sure that the city of Austin is one hundred percent ADA compliant at all of its public entities, and it's governmental offices. Another important job of this office is to make sure that the city of Austin is making all of its resources readily available to those in the disabled population. For example they have to make sure that all public transportation is accessible to those who need it. Most importantly they are responsible for making sure that all places of employment and education are accessible as well.
My Perspective
I believe that ADA is a necessary law for America do have. I believe that this act has changed lives of millions of Americans. It has truly reshaped the way that "normal" Americans look at disabled Americans. From time to time I still receive the random blank stares from an "normal" person. I've become extremely used to this but it does not mean that I'm okay with it. I still become frequently frustrated about the lack of information that the public has about the disabled community. There are certain stereotypes that every "normal" person associate themselves with such as "oh poor pitiful me". What I mean by that is that the innocent by standard has no prior knowledge of how to approach someone with a disability. Therefore they attempt to establish superiority over the disabled person by demeaning them with a rude comment. That rude comment is all because of their lack of respect for someone with a disability. This is the main reason I am taking on such a momentous project. The main goal of my project is to bring awareness to the ability of a disabled person. To show that we can achieve whatever we strive to and no dream is too big or too small for us to conquer that is my opinion of the disabled community.