Written Testimony Requested on ADA

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NEWS

ADVISORY

NCD #05488

April 28, 2005

Contact: Mark S. Quigley

TTY

National Council on Disability Seeks Americans with Disabilities Act Impact

Testimony

WASHINGTONThe National Council on Disability (NCD) is collecting written

testimony from people with disabilities, their families, and their advocates on

the impact the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 has had on their

lives.

NCD is an independent federal agency charged with making recommendations to the

President and Congress to enhance the quality of life for all Americans with

disabilities and their families. In 1986, NCD first proposed and then drafted

the original Americans with Disabilities Act. The ADA was hailed as a major

civil rights law guaranteeing equal opportunity

for Americans with disabilities to participate more fully in their communities,

to have greater access to goods and services, and to enjoy more employment

opportunities. Testimony is sought regarding the extent to which the ADA has

achieved its goals of equality of opportunity, full participation, independent

living, and economic self-sufficiency for people with disabilities.

The information received will be added to a body of data currently being

assembled from a variety of sources to be analyzed and transmitted to the

President and Congress in a report to be published in fall 2005.

Testimony is sought regarding:

Telecommunications: Has the ADA had an impact on the ability of people who have

hearing and/or speech impairments to communicate by telephone?

Employment: Has the ADA improved employment opportunities and job retention for

people with disabilities?

Public Services: Are goods and services provided by local and state agencies

more accessible to people with disabilities because of the ADA?

Public Accommodations Operated by Private Entities: Are goods and services

provided by businesses more accessible to people with disabilities because of

the ADA?

General comments on the ADA

Please send written comments on or before May 15, 2005, to Carroll,

National Council on Disability, 1331 F Street, NW, Suite 850, Washington, DC

20004 or jcarroll@....

For more information, contact Mark Quigley or Carroll at .

M. Guppy

www.TexasAutismAdvocacy.org