Everything on this page comes straight from the federal government — the U.S. Department of Justice (ADA.gov) and the U.S. Access Board. These are official definitions and free, public documents. None of it is my interpretation. Every item links to its source so you can read it yourself.
What the ADA is
The Americans with Disabilities Act is a federal civil rights law passed in 1990. The U.S. Department of Justice states that it prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in employment, State and local government, public accommodations, commercial facilities, transportation, and telecommunications, and that it also applies to the United States Congress.
Source: A Guide to Disability Rights Laws — U.S. Department of Justice
Who the ADA protects
The Department of Justice’s official definition: an individual with a disability is a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, a person who has a history or record of such an impairment, or a person who is perceived by others as having such an impairment. In plainer terms, DOJ lists major life activities such as breathing, walking, reading, thinking, seeing, hearing, or working.
Sources: A Guide to Disability Rights Laws · ADA Update: A Primer for State and Local Governments
Title II — state and local governments
Title II applies to all State and local governments and all departments, agencies, special purpose districts, and other instrumentalities of State or local government (“public entities”), and to all programs, services, or activities of public entities, from adoption services to zoning regulation. It protects qualified individuals with disabilities from discrimination on the basis of disability in services, programs, and activities provided by State and local government entities.
Sources: Title II Primer · Title II Regulations, 28 CFR Part 35
Effective communication
Under Title II, the ADA requires state and local governments to communicate as effectively with people with disabilities as with others, and to make reasonable modifications when necessary to accommodate people with disabilities.
Source: State and Local Governments (Title II) — ADA.gov
Free official publications
Every document below is published by the U.S. government and free to read or download. Each is credited to its agency.
- A Guide to Disability Rights Laws — U.S. Department of Justice
- ADA Update: A Primer for State and Local Governments — U.S. Department of Justice (web · PDF)
- ADA Requirements: Effective Communication — U.S. Department of Justice
- Guidance on Web Accessibility and the ADA — U.S. Department of Justice
- Title II Regulations, 28 CFR Part 35 — U.S. Department of Justice (overview · PDF supplement)
- 2010 ADA Standards for Accessible Design — U.S. Department of Justice
- A Guide to the ADA Standards — U.S. Access Board
The government’s own ADA help line
The U.S. Department of Justice runs a free ADA Information Line: 800-514-0301 (voice), 1-833-610-1264 (TTY), Monday–Friday. Source: ADA.gov.