Office of Student Disability Services
Institutional Group • 280 people
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IMPORTANT

Celebrating 35 years of progress, protection, and possibilities for people with disabilities.

ADA @ 35!

Office of Student Disability Services
July 28, 2025 at 10:47 AM
Infographic titled "Fact Check: ADA Edition" with a lightbulb icon at the center. Around the center, there are six labeled sections with ADA facts: Inked for Inclusion President George H.W. Bush signed the ADA with 59 pens, which were later given to key disability rights advocates. Invisible ≠ Uncovered The ADA covers both visible and invisible disabilities, including diabetes, epilepsy, PTSD, ADHD, and more. Capitol Crawl The ADA wasn’t simply passed—it was fought for. Activists with disabilities crawled up the steps of the U.S. Capitol to demand civil rights in what became known as the "Capitol Crawl." From the U.S. to the World Countries like the UK, Australia, and Canada looked to the ADA when shaping their own disability rights laws. The ADA has had global influence. Siri Says Thanks, ADA Features like screen readers, voice recognition, and closed captions (e.g., on Netflix or Siri) are rooted in accessibility laws like the ADA. Digital? Still ADA! The ADA includes digital accessibility. In 2022, there were 3,255 web accessibility lawsuits under Title III, a 12% increase from 2021. Center Text Box: "Until 1990, it was perfectly legal to deny someone a job, apartment, or education just because they had a disability. The ADA changed that—like the Civil Rights Act did for race and gender."

July 26, 2025, marks the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). As the ADA turns 35 this year, here are some key facts you should know.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), signed in 1990, was a landmark moment in U.S. civil rights history. It made it illegal to deny someone a job, education, or housing just because of a disability. But the ADA didn’t just happen. It was demanded. Activists crawled up the steps of the U.S. Capitol during the Capitol Crawl to fight for equal rights.

Today, the ADA protects people with both visible and invisible disabilities, like PTSD, ADHD, and diabetes. It also covers far more than physical spaces. Think websites, apps, voice recognition, closed captioning, and screen readers. In fact, in 2022 alone, over 3,000 web accessibility lawsuits were filed under the ADA.

From the U.S. to countries like the U.K., Canada, and Australia, the ADA’s influence is global. And yes, even Siri owes a thank you to the ADA.

Equal access isn’t extra. It’s essential.

A heartfelt thank you to everyone who joined us last Friday, the 25th, to celebrate with UMBC's Accessibility and Disability Services and Student Disability Services. Your presence and support in recognizing this important milestone meant so much to us. This celebration was a reminder that while we've made great strides since the passage of the ADA, there is still work to do—and we’re grateful to have you with us in that journey.

If you're still interested in exploring more, here are some of the powerful films we screened during the Disability Film Festival. We encourage you to check them out in your spare time:


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