Americans with Disabilities Act still has a long way to go

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed in 1990 to provide equal rights and accessibility to American citizens with disabilities. But 19 years later, how much progress has been made?

Many people take simple life activities for granted, such as being able to enter a grocery store or restaurant without obstruction. For people with disabilities, this isn't always so simple. The lack of something as rudimentary as an automatic door or a curb-cut can hinder ones ability to even obtain and purchase food for themselves. One woman I interviewed, Maryellen Tews, has been disabled for more than 20 years, and still finds obstacles wherever she goes, despite the existence of the ADA. "Sometimes I have to go through the drive-thru in my wheelchair to get service," she says, referring to a restaurant in a franchised fast food chain. "I couldn't get inside otherwise, and I have to risk being hit by a car. Other times, I'm refused service altogether." It isn't just restaurants and shops that present problems for people like her. It's also difficult to find somewhere to live. "Without proper automatic doors, ground level entrances and elevators, I'm stuck," she tells me. "I'm forced to be a shut-in, and I lose the basic independence that other people take for granted." Older residential buildings are required by law to bring their facilities up to date according to Title III of the ADA. But newer constructions are failing to meet these guidelines, using stairs at their entrances but not providing a handicap ramp or any other accessible means. It may very well take another decade to fully implement all of the ADA's provisions, but until then, disabled Americans everywhere are confronted with daily struggles to perform basic tasks. To learn more about the Americans With Disabilities Act, visit this website.