What is the ADA?

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 is the most comprehensive federal civil rights law that protects qualified individuals with disabilities from discrimination and provides for equal access and opportunity. Former President George H.W. Bush signed the ADA into law on July 26, 1990.

Learn more about the ADA

Find ADA Events & Materials

ADA Questions & Training Requests

Contact your DBTAC: ADA Center


Phone: 800-949-4232 ( voice/tty)



New England ADA Center: Connecticut, Maine, Massachussetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont Northeast ADA Center: New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands Mid-Atlantic ADA Center: Delaware, DC, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia Southeast ADA Center: Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North and South Carolina, Tennessee Great Lakes ADA Center: Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin Southwest ADA Center: Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas Great Plains ADA Center: Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska Rocky Mountain ADA Center: Colorado, Montana, North and South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming Pacific ADA Center: Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada Northwest ADA Center: Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington Northwest ADA Center: Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington Pacific ADA Center: Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada Region 2: New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands Pacific ADA Center: Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada DBTAC National Network of ADA Centers Select a state from U.S. map to find your DBTAC: ADA Center

Text links to find your DBTAC: ADA Centers:

What areas (Titles) are in the ADA?

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) applies to situations in these five areas (referenced by Titles):

  1. Employment (Title I) - external web site
  2. State and local government (Title II) - external web site
  3. Public accommodations / private businesses (Title III) - external web site
  4. Telecommunications (Title IV) - external web site
  5. Transportation and miscellaneous provisions (Title V) - external web site

Definition of Disability

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination against any qualified individual with a disability. Specifically, the ADA protects three categories of individuals:

  1. Individuals who have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activity.
  2. Individuals who have a record of a physical or mental impairment.
  3. Individuals who are regarded as having an impairment, whether they have an impairment or not?

The ADA does not include a list of covered disabilities under the law. Therefore, to determine if you are covered under the law, you need to determine if you have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activity.

The definition of disability does not include simple physical characteristics, common personality traits, or environmental, cultural, or economic disadvantages.

The ADA also excludes coverage for individuals who currently use illegal drugs, certain sexual disorders and preferences, and compulsive gambling, kleptomania, and pyromania.

For more information, review "Who is Protected by the ADA? - external web site" in Chapter II of the ADA Title I Technical Assistance Manual.

Additional ADA Resources

Disclaimer: The DBTAC: ADA Centers provide these links as a courtesy and do not endorse, take responsibility, or exercise control of the organization nor vouch for the accuracy of the contents of the destination link. Accessibility cannot be guaranteed for external websites.

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DBTAC National Network of ADA Centers
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Last Updated: August 21, 2008

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