Americans with Disabilities Act

July 26, 2009

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Profile America — Sunday, July 26th. On this date 19 years ago, the Americans with Disabilities Act became law. The goal was to guarantee equal opportunity for people with disabilities in public and commercial facilities, as well as employment, transportation and services at all levels of government. There are just over 41 million people who have at least one disability. Some 11 million need assistance with one or more activities of daily living, such as taking a shower or a bath. There are 1.8 million Americans 15 and older who are unable to see, and 1 million who cannot hear. And there are 2.5 million who have some difficulty in having their speech understood. You can find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureauonline at <www>.

Sources: Chase's Calendar of Events 2009, p. 377
U.S. Census Bureau, Facts for Features, CB09-FF.13
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_editions/013739.html