Disability Rights

Disability rights policy ensures that the approximately 61 million American adults who live with a disability have equal access to employment, public spaces, transportation, education, and government services. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) is the cornerstone federal law — prohibiting discrimination on the basis of disability in employment, public accommodations, transportation, and state and local government services. The ADA Amendments Act of 2008 broadened the definition of disability after narrow court interpretations had reduced the law's coverage. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (1973) applies to programs receiving federal funding. Despite these protections, people with disabilities face a significant employment gap: the labor force participation rate for people with disabilities is roughly 22 percent, compared to about 66 percent for people without disabilities. Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) provide income support to those who cannot work, but benefits are modest and the application process is notoriously difficult and slow. Web and digital accessibility — ensuring websites and apps are usable by people who are blind, deaf, or have other disabilities — is an emerging battleground, with thousands of lawsuits filed annually under the ADA. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) guarantees free, appropriate public education for children with disabilities. Internationally, the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), adopted in 2006, has been ratified by 186 countries — but not by the United States, whose Senate rejected ratification in 2012.