Now protected or still stigmatized? A 25-year outlook on the impact of the Americans with Disabilities Act
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
ISSN: 2040-7149
Article publication date: 3 May 2021
Issue publication date: 20 April 2022
Abstract
Purpose
In 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law by President George H.W. Bush. This law was intended to prevent discrimination against people with disabilities (PWD) in employment, public accommodations, transportation and other areas of life. However, the degree of impact in these sectors has not been studied in tandem. Addressing these sectors together is the primary objective of this paper.
Design/methodology/approach
Results are analyzed and presented regarding ADA impacts as well as which organizations provide advocacy services in support to PWD from survey data collected from 1,582 US participants in 2010 (N = 866) and 2015 (N = 716).
Findings
Results suggest that the ADA has had a positive impact on PWD, yet this law favorably affects people of certain demographics more than others. Moreover, people with and without disabilities have differing opinions on the impact of the ADA, suggesting that what is conveyed to the public and the impact of the ADA on real-life outcomes of PWD are sometimes misaligned.
Originality/value
The present study helps add to the current body of knowledge on the impact of the ADA by providing perspectives on advocacy services and impacts from a diverse set of PWD and their counterparts without disabilities.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Funding: National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) under the Southwest ADA Center, grant number 90DP0092.
Citation
Wu, F.Y., Nittrouer, C., Nguyen, V., Hebl, M., Oswald, F.L. and Frieden, L. (2022), "Now protected or still stigmatized? A 25-year outlook on the impact of the Americans with Disabilities Act", Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, Vol. 41 No. 3, pp. 383-403. https://doi.org/10.1108/EDI-06-2020-0173
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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