What stage of life were you at in 1990, when the Americans with Disabilities Act became reality? How did it change your life as a deaf person? Over the years I have seen, as an About.com guide, how the ADA has protected - and sometimes, failed to protect - the rights of deaf and hard of hearing people.
On Monday, there will be a lot of media attention and celebration as the ADA marks 20 years of existence. What will the future bring? Probably continued efforts to make violators aware of the law, as violations do continue on a daily basis. If there was more awareness, I would not be blogging as often as I do, about employment discrimination for example.
I hope things continue to move forward for the all of us who are deaf of hearing impaired. My worst experience was when I was in the hospital. They did not put on my chart, or above my bed or on my door that I was deaf. I would press the button and no one would come. I found out they speaking over an intercom (sp) that was in my room. So I got very little help when I needed it the most. I will never stay in a hospital alone again.
the findings from the latest Harris poll are not particularly encouraging although the gap is narrowing, apparently
See report, PDF, at http://www.2010disabilitysurveys.org/pdfs/surveyresults.pdf
Interesting Americans see the ADA as an effective tool and want to celebrate it, the DDA (The Brit equivalent), has a very chequered history, and by and large viewed ineffective by those at the business end. I have a vested interested as a deaf person in the Brit version, being the only deaf person in the UK there at it’s launch. Now you get the idea of how bad the ‘disability versus deaf’ issue has affected the equality laws. Deaf did not want in or involved, i.e. until it became law and there was some advantage for them to go it alone…