The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law on July 26,1990. The ADA gives people with disabilities civil rights protection that is similar to that provided to individuals on the basis of race, sex, national origin and religion. It promises equal opportunity in employment, public places, transportation, state and local government services and telecommunications.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) defines a "disability" as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities such as walking, hearing, seeing, speaking, breathing, learning, and working.
Disabilities can be classified into two basic groups:- Obvious physical disabilities - mobility impaired,
visually impaired, or hearing impaired.
- Hidden disabilities - heart disease, diabetes,
asthma, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, psychological disorders, epilepsy,
Acquired Brain Injuries (ABI), HIV and AIDS. Included in the hidden
disability family are two more categories of disability: specific learning
disabilities (LD) and Attention Deficit Disorders (ADD).
About 55% of SJSU students with disabilities fall into the latter two categories.
