The Americans With Disabilities Act: Ten Years Later

Abstract

The Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), signed into law on July 26, 1990, was full of promises but was also vague and in some ways contradictory. However, the ADA did bring official recognition to the country's largest minority group and focused attention on the need for making basic life activities available and accessible to an estimated 50 million or more Americans. This article provides an overview of the ADA 10 years after its passage into law, focusing on the emergence of disability policy studies, major provisions of the ADA, and policy outcomes.