




                       LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL





July 26, 1995

The President
The White House
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President:

The National Council on Disability is pleased to submit to you 
this report, entitled Voices of Freedom:  America Speaks Out on 
the ADA.  Under its Congressional mandate, the National Council 
on Disability is charged with the responsibility to gather 
information on the implementation, effectiveness, and impact of 
the Americans with Disabilities Act.  This report describes the 
implementation of this landmark civil rights legislation from the 
perspectives of people with disabilities in all 50 States, the 
District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Over the past several months, the Council has met with thousands 
of people with disabilities, with their family members, with 
business people, and with public servants.  Our overall 
conclusion from these meetings is that the ADA is beginning to 
create positive and, at times, dramatic changes in the lives of 
people with disabilities.  However, given the many areas where 
compliance has not yet been achieved, and in recognition of the 
relatively brief time in which the law has been in effect, it is 
clear that further efforts are necessary in order to increase 
public awareness of the Act, furnish education and clarification 
to covered entities regarding the provisions of the Act, and 
provide the resources required to encourage voluntary compliance 
and ensure effective enforcement.

In this report we also address some of the myths that have arisen 
regarding the ADA.  As with any legislation that addresses the 
painful subject of prejudice in our society, the ADA has been 
under attack.  This report, which describes the real-life 
experiences of thousands of citizens with disabilities as well as 
all credible research on this topic to date, challenges these 
myths.

Today, as we observe-and celebrate-the fifth anniversary of the 
Americans with Disabilities Act, I once again pledge our 
unwavering commitment to ensuring that equality of opportunity, 
full participation, independent living, and economic self-  
sufficiency become realities in the
lives of Americans with disabilities.  Under your leadership, I 
remain confident that we can continue to build an America where 
all citizens have equal access to the achievement of these 
important goals.

Sincerely,



Marca Bristo
Chairperson

(This same letter was sent to the President Pro Tempore of the 
Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.)      




VOICES OF FREEDOM:
AMERICA SPEAKS OUT ON THE ADA

A REPORT TO THE PRESIDENT AND CONGRESS 





















                           July 26, 1995







National Council on Disability

Voices of Freedom:  America Speaks Out on the ADA
A Report to the President and Congress

Publication date:  July 26, 1995

National Council on Disability
1331 F Street, N.W.
Suite 1050
Washington, D.C.  20004-1107

(202)  272-2004 Voice
(202)  272-2074 TT
(202)  272-2022 Fax


This report was prepared under contract by Macfadden & 
Associates, Inc. (MAI).

















The views contained in this report do not necessarily represent 
those of the Administration, as this document has not been 
subjected to the A-19 Executive Branch review process.

                                




NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY MEMBERS AND STAFF

Members

Marca Bristo, Chairperson
John A. Gannon, Vice Chairperson
Yerker Andersson
Ellis B. Bodron
Larry Brown, Jr.
John D. Kemp
Ela Yazzie-King
Audrey McCrimon
Bonnie O'Day
Lilliam R. Pollo
Debra Robinson
Shirley W. Ryan
Michael B. Unhjem
Rae E. Unzicker
Kate P. Wolters

Staff

Speed Davis, Acting Executive Director
Billie Jean Hill, Program Specialist
Jamal Mazrui, Program Specialist
Mark S. Quigley, Public Affairs Specialist
Brenda Bratton, Executive Secretary
Stacey S. Brown, Staff Assistant
Janice Mack, Administrative Officer






 
ABSTRACT

Throughout the five years that have passed since the Americans 
with Disabilities Act was signed into law, the National Council 
on Disability has monitored the progress of its implementation.  
Between February and June 1995, in keeping with its commitment to 
the Nation's citizens with disabilities, the Council visited all 
50 States, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands 
in order to learn how effective the ADA has been to date in 
ensuring equality of opportunity, full participation, independent 
living, and economic self-sufficiency for Americans with 
disabilities.

In meeting with thousands of people with disabilities, as well as 
with family members of people with disabilities, business people, 
and public servants, the Council discovered that the ADA has 
resulted in real, concrete progress.  The report that follows 
documents real changes in the lives of real people.  It 
demonstrates that:

      People with disabilities are proud to be equal American 
       citizens.

      Children and youth with disabilities are encouraged to go 
       to school, to participate in and learn from their 
       communities, and to prepare for jobs.
 
      Adults with disabilities are finding a reduction in 
       employment barriers and more freedom to travel in their 
       communities, and they are becoming customers of accessible 
       businesses.

      Families are encouraged to stay together and to 
       participate fully in the lives of their communities.

      Businesses are changing their policies, their facilities, 
       and their attitudes.

      Villages, cities, counties, and States are looking at 
       people with disabilities as real citizens.

      Public awareness of the needs, contributions, and rights 
       of people with disabilities has improved significantly.

People with disabilities are still far from the America promised 
by the ADA, but the discrimination, misinformation, stereotypes, 
and environmental barriers that have accumulated over thousands 
of years of human history are beginning to crumble.  The single 
greatest barrier to the successful implementation of the ADA 
continues to be the myths that have been created regarding its 
requirements, its costs, and its intended effects.  All across 
America, citizens testified that when these myths were dispelled, 
compliance was relatively easy and the results were beneficial.  
Through publication of this report, we hope to challenge these 
myths, and to demonstrate the tremendous positive impact the ADA 
can have in creating a better America for us all.

                         TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction....................................................1

     The Americans with Disabilities Act Five Years After 
Passage:
        A Time for Reflection...................................1
     The National Council on Disability's Continuing Interest in 
the ADA.........................................................3
     The National Town Meeting Tour.............................5

Summary of Major Findings.......................................7

     The ADA:  Greater Access to the Physical Environment.......7
     The ADA:  Increased Access to Employment Opportunities....12
     The ADA:  Easier Communication, Easier Mobility...........16
     The ADA:  Modest Costs in Spite of Exaggerated Predictions18
     ADA Compliance:  Chiefly Voluntary, Not Lawsuit-Based.....21
     The ADA:  Strengthening the Roles and Self-Image of 
Americans
       with Disabilities.......................................23
     The ADA:  Creating Positive Changes in American Culture...24
     Conclusion:  Equality of Opportunity, Full Participation, 
Independent
       Living, Economic Self-Sufficiency - A Formula for Success 
in
       American Public Policy..................................26

Summaries of Town Meetings ....................................29
     Alabama ................................................. 31
          Alaska...............................................34
     Arizona .................................................38
     Arkansas ................................................43
     California...............................................47
     Colorado ................................................52
     Connecticut .............................................55
     Delaware ................................................59
     District of Columbia ....................................62
     Florida .................................................65
     Georgia .................................................69
     Hawaii ..................................................73
     Idaho....................................................76
     Illinois.................................................80
     Indiana..................................................85
     Iowa.....................................................89
     Kansas...................................................92
     Kentucky.................................................96
     Louisiana...............................................100
     Maine...................................................103


     Maryland................................................106
     Massachusetts...........................................109
     Michigan................................................112
     Minnesota...............................................116
     Mississippi.............................................121
     Missouri................................................124
     Montana.................................................129
     Nebraska................................................133
     Nevada..................................................137
     New Hampshire...........................................141
     New Jersey..............................................145
     New Mexico..............................................148
     New York................................................151
     North Carolina..........................................155
     North Dakota............................................159
     Ohio....................................................163
     Oklahoma................................................167
     Oregon..................................................170
     Pennsylvania............................................174
     Rhode Island............................................178
     South Carolina..........................................183
     South Dakota............................................187
     Tennessee...............................................191
     Texas...................................................195
     Utah....................................................198
     Vermont.................................................202
     Virgin Islands..........................................207
     Virginia................................................210
     Washington..............................................214
     West Virginia...........................................217
     Wisconsin...............................................221
     Wyoming.................................................226

 
                            APPENDICES

Appendix A:  A Brief Description of the Americans with 
Disabilities Act..............................................233

Appendix B:  A Brief Description of the National Council on 
Disability....................................................237

Appendix C:  The ADA National Tour:  Locations and Dates for Town 
Meetings......................................................241

Appendix D:  List of Speakers at the 52 Town Meetings.........247





                           INTRODUCTION

  The Americans with Disabilities Act Five Years After Passage:  
                       A Time for Reflection

     On July 26, 1990, President George Bush signed the Americans 
with Disabilities Act (ADA), declaring, let the shameful wall of 
exclusion finally come tumbling down.  Today, five years later, 
all the major provisions of the ADA have taken effect, and 
significant public and private sector efforts have increased 
public awareness of the Act and educated major entities covered 
by the Act[0].  Five years after the enactment of this historic 
legislation, it is important to assess whether the goals of the 
ADA (equality of opportunity, full participation, independent 
living, and economic self-sufficiency[0]) have (or have not) 
begun to be realized by people with disabilities.

     Although five years is certainly not enough time to expect 
complete attainment of these far-reaching goals, five years do 
provide a sufficient time frame to assess the degree to which 
efforts to implement the law have resulted in progress toward the 
long-term success.  Without such a "reality check," it is 
possible that promising approaches currently is use could go 
unnoticed and loose support, or that misplaced efforts at 
implementation could lead the Nation away from the attainment of 
the goals of the Act.

     In addition, as is the case with any law that seeks to 
define and advance civil rights, the ADA has been subject to 
various criticisms that have been reported in the popular media.  
Investigation reveals that the vast majority of these criticisms 
are based on misinformation or a focus on extreme situations.  
For example, it has been charged that compliance with the ADA 
will bankrupt American businesses.  However, there has not been a 
single reported case where this has happened, nor could it 
happen, given the ADA's flexible provisions such as the 
reasonable accommodation and undue burden tests.  

     Others have charged that, particularly in the area of 
employment, the ADA would flood the country with lawsuits.  And 
yet five years and nearly 45,000 complaints later, the
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the agency 
charged with enforcing the employment provisions of the Act, 
reports that the vast majority of these complaints have either 
been dismissed or resolved without going to court.  In fact, in 
three years of enforcement activity, the EEOC has filed only 71 
lawsuits under the ADA.  In addition, EEOC reports that 
ADA-related cases make up only 20 percent of its caseload.  
Rather than encouraging lawsuits, the enforcement mechanisms 
contained in the ADA have resulted in a surprisingly low number 
of actual lawsuits, given the extent of the ADA's coverage 
(approximately 666,000 employers nationwide).[0]

      It must be asked, then, whether the sometimes vitriolic 
letters to the editor or the editorials that appear from time to 
time in the Nation's newspapers reflect reality, or the reason 
the ADA was passed in the first place:  the prejudice and 
discrimination historically faced by people with disabilities.  
Clearly, it is important that these issues be explored and that 
judgments regarding the value of this law be based on reality, 
not casuistry.

     This issue is important to policy makers across our Nation, 
and it is also important to people with disabilities around the 
globe.  On the day he signed the ADA, President Bush observed:
     This historic Act is the world's first comprehensive 
     declaration of equality for people with disabilities.  The 
     first.  Its passage has made the United States the 
     international leader on this human rights issue.

Across the world, governments have expressed interest in adopting 
legislation similar to the ADA.  Thus, it is even more important 
that an accurate, reality-based assessment of progress to date 
occur.


               The National Council on Disability's
                  Continuing Interest in the ADA

     As the agency that first proposed the ADA, the National 
Council on Disability (NCD) has a major interest in learning 
whether its recommendation to Congress in 1986- 
     to enact a comprehensive law requiring equal opportunity for 
     individuals with disabilities, with broad coverage and 
     setting clear, consistent, and enforceable standards 
     prohibiting discrimination on the basis of handicap 
     (p.18)[0]

-has resulted in positive change.

     After enactment of the ADA, Congress charged the NCD with 
the responsibility to gather information regarding its 
implementation, effectiveness, and impact.[0]  To date, the NCD 
has been quite diligent in monitoring the Act and in sharing its 
findings.  Given its responsibilities, the NCD has provided the 
President, Congress, and the American public with a variety of 
reports regarding implementation of the ADA:
      ADA Watch:  Year One-A Report to the President and 
       Congress on progress in implementing the Americans with 
       Disabilities Act (1993) detailed early progress in the 
       implementation of the ADA.  The purpose of this report was 
       to provide an early assessment of whether the ADA was 
       basically "on track" in the early stages of its 
       implementation.

      Furthering the goals of the Americans with Disabilities 
       Act through disability policy research in the 1990s (1993) 
       documented the results of a national forum of leaders in 
       the field of disability policy research, including their 
       guidance on how to determine the degree of progress being 
       made in attaining the goals of the ADA as implementation 
       proceeded.

      The Americans with Disabilities Act:  Ensuring equal 
       access to the American dream (1995) reported on the 
       results of two meetings of experts in public policy at the 
       State and national level regarding implementation of the 
       ADA to date, lessons learned, and future strategies for 
       increased compliance with the law.

     In considering how best to approach the fifth anniversary of 
the ADA from the standpoint of monitoring implementation, the NCD 
determined that a comprehensive, consumer-based approach would 
provide the most direct and reliable check on the law's 
effectiveness to date.  The NCD built this conclusion upon 
recommendations from its earlier conference on ADA research, as 
well as on the emerging reliance on "customer satisfaction" as a 
major measurement variable in determining the quality of public 
policy initiatives.[0]

     Numerous studies have been completed that detail progress in 
implementing the technical provisions of the Act.[0]  These 
studies have provided valuable information and recommendations 
regarding continuing implementation of the law.   However, very 
little information exists on the law's overall impact on the 
quality of life experienced by citizens.  Has the shameful wall 
of exclusion come tumbling down?  If so, to what degree?  Where 
are the largest openings?  Even if the wall has come down, has 
there been a rush across the rubble to unite previously separated 
parties?  Overall, has this law made any real difference in the 
quality of life experienced by people with disabilities?  By the 
public at large?

                  The National Town Meeting Tour

     To gain a clearer picture of progress regarding these 
important issues, the NCD determined that it would visit each of 
the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin 
Islands.  Its intent was to hear directly from consumers and 
those involved in ADA implementation regarding the degree to 
which the law has affected their quality of life.[0]  Through 
this serious and substantial outreach effort, the NCD hoped to 
determine whether, and the degree to which, the ADA has changed 
the nature of American culture.  Has a society in which people 
with disabilities historically were not provided equal 
opportunities, were excluded, and were kept in dependency become 
a society in which people with disabilities are provided with 
equal opportunities, are included, and are empowered, both 
socially and economically?  In addition, the NCD attempted to 
gain an understanding of the nature of complaints lodged by 
critics of the ADA within the context of the actual life 
experiences of people with disabilities covered under the Act.

     The report that follows provides a summary of the NCD's 
findings regarding these substantial questions.  These findings 
are based on the results of town meetings held in each of the 50 
States, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands 
between February and June 1995.  These town meetings attracted 
the active participation of thousands of interested citizens, the 
majority of whom were people with disabilities, or their family 
members or advocates.  Through this consumer-based approach, we 
obtained information on some of the more substantial, 
outcome-oriented questions regarding ADA:  Has the ADA actually 
resulted in greater access to the physical environment?  Do 
people with disabilities experience a greater degree of fairness 
in obtaining and maintaining employment?  Has the ADA helped to 
improve communication between people with disabilities and 
persons who are not disabled?  Do people with disabilities find 
that it is easier to get around their towns and cities?  Are 
people with disabilities really considered to be integral parts 
of the communities in which they live?  In 1995, can people with 
disabilities finally have the same expectations as other people 
in their communities-to live, work, travel, communicate, 
contribute to, and generally feel comfortable in their local 
communities?  Our results follow.

                     SUMMARY OF MAJOR FINDINGS

       The ADA:  Greater Access to the Physical Environment

     Not too long ago, very few places were accessible to people 
     with disabilities.  But today it's different . . . people 
     with disabilities can now get out into the world. (Don 
     Holder, Florida)


     In every State of the Union, consumers testified that the 
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) has created greater access 
to the physical environment over the past five years.  Consumers 
spoke in great detail about the important changes that have 
occurred because of the ADA, citing increased access to virtually 
every type of environment.  Some spoke of entire jurisdictions 
that had voluntarily embraced the ADA:
     In Hall County, the public library, the court house, science 
     center, school board building, and even the landfill are 
     being made accessible.  Without the ADA, none of the 
     improvements to these facilities would be under way.  
     (Stephanie Wells, Georgia)

     We are installing ramps and curb cuts at 15 voting sites in 
     Davidson County.  Since budgets are tight, the Elections 
     Commission has arranged with students at Vanderbilt 
     University to do the construction during their spring break.  
     Architects have donated their time to develop the plans.  
     The cost to the county?  Just the price of materials.  We 
     have installed TDD in the elections office and are trying to 
     educate all elections officials and poll workers about 
     disabilities.  (Michael McDonald, Tennessee)

     One New York town, Tuckahoe-population 6,000-won a first 
     place award of $3,500 from the National Organization on 
     Disability (NOD) for outstanding efforts to implement the 
     ADA.  Matthew Marino, a resident of Tuckahoe, reported that 
     the town has established assisted listening devices in 
     meeting rooms, courtrooms, and the community center. Audible 
     traffic signals have been installed, and the town's 
     newsletter is available on audio cassette. Town buildings 
     have been made wheelchair accessible inside and out. Steps 
     have even been removed in the courthouse for jurors and 
     judges.  But our most surprising success story involves a 
     survey we send periodically to residents asking them to 
     identify any disabilities they or a family member may have 
     that emergency personnel should know about in the event of a 
     problem.  Residents' responses are entered into a computer, 
     so that in the event of a 911 call, police have immediate 
     access to the information.  Other communities have followed 
     our example, and both the local press and the New York Times 
     have reported on our 911 program.  Tuckahoe will spend its 
     award money on a "talking" computer for the local library.  
     (Matthew Marino, New York)


     Other consumers spoke of how the ADA's accessibility 
provisions have enabled them to work:
     As an attorney, I have to be able to get into the courthouse 
     every day.  Thanks to the ADA, the building is now equipped 
     with a ramp and an automatic door. (Graham Sisson, Alabama)

     I travel around the State for my job, but I couldn't do it 
     if it weren't for the ADA. . . . Twenty years ago, none of 
     these accommodations existed.  (Dianne Grace, Washington)


     In addition, many individuals reported that implementation 
of the ADA has enabled people with disabilities to pursue further 
educational opportunities, thereby increasing their employment 
and earning potential:
     The University of North Texas has installed automatic doors, 
     elevators, curb cuts, and other accommodations that make 
     education much more accessible. (Johnny Martinez, Texas)

     My son is now a college freshman at Eastern Kentucky 
     University, because of curb cuts and more accessible 
     buildings.  The town of Richmond, Kentucky, in which EKU is 
     located, has become more accessible as well.  My son is no 
     longer an outsider.  He can participate in activities both 
     on and off campus, thanks to the ADA. (Mary Anne Westerdale, 
     Kentucky) 


     Implementation of the ADA has also resulted in people with 
disabilities gaining access to a wider variety of stores and 
commercial establishments.  For example, several speakers at the 
Maine town meeting reported that shopping has become much easier 
via automatic door openers, wider aisles, and wider checkout 
lanes, as well as store personnel who were willing to use paper 
and pencil to communicate with deaf shoppers.  Speakers at other 
town meetings reinforced this point.  At the Virginia town 
meeting, several speakers stated that the Wal-Mart chain, with 
its policy of making all stores accessible, is an example for 
other businesses to follow:  
       I ride in my wheelchair to the local Wal-Mart and, once 
       there, have no trouble getting in and doing my shopping.  
       There is always an employee available when a person with a 
       disability needs help in shopping at Wal-Mart.  (Juanita 
       Blake, Virginia)

In Wisconsin, we heard this story:
     Before the ADA, I couldn't even shop with my daughter for 
     her first prom dress.  But things have changed, and I 
     recently did shop with my daughter to buy clothes:  for her 
     job interview!  (Shelley Peterman Schwarz, Wisconsin)


     The accessibility provisions of the ADA were credited by 
other speakers with allowing families to enjoy their communities 
together, sometimes for the first time:
     Before the ADA was passed, my family couldn't go any place 
     together because of my Mom's wheelchair.  But now many 
     places are accessible, and we can go on outings as a family.  
     I'm glad for the ADA.  (Kristopher Hazard, Tennessee)

     I see the progress the ADA has brought through my father's 
     eyes.  In the past, my family could not go out to eat 
     without a family member first visiting the restaurant to 
     make sure my father's wheelchair would make it through the 
     door.  Sometimes, he had to come in through the back 
     entrance.  It is much easier today.  Thanks to the ADA, many 
     more places are accessible. (Cathy Ames, Oklahoma) 


     Other speakers were pleased that the accessibility 
provisions of the ADA have opened a whole new world to them:  
travel.  Whether traveling for business or on vacations, people 
with disabilities are finding it increasingly easier to locate 
accessible hotels:
     The Inn on the Park is doing everything it can to make its 
     services as accessible to guests with disabilities as to 
     everyone else.  The first time a group came to the hotel and 
     needed equipment for the hearing impaired, the Inn rented 
     the equipment from another hotel.  Then we purchased our own 
     equipment, with the input of some consumers with hearing 
     impairments.  Today the Inn on the Park is equipped with 
     TDDs, bed shakers, close captioned TV, brailled menus, 
     emergency evacuation procedures, and a range of wheelchair 
     accessible rooms.  Whenever we book a meeting for an 
     organization, we acquire whatever adaptive equipment is 
     needed, if we don't already have it.  Front desk staff are 
     trained in the use of adaptive equipment. . . . And our 
     business has even increased a little as a result of working 
     with disabilities groups.  (Gary Tidmore, Wisconsin)


     Finally, speakers at every meeting were pleased that sports 
and recreation facilities were becoming increasingly accessible, 
resulting not only in better fitness, but also in increasing 
opportunities to meet new friends in communities all across 
America:
     Just three stairs and an inaccessible bathroom kept me from 
     enjoying the local recreation center with kids my own age.  
     But a few hundred dollars worth of
     renovations made the place accessible, and now I can play 
     games and take a boat out when I want to.  (Carl Burnett, 
     Maine)

     John wanted to participate in weight training, but he 
     couldn't get to the field house because it was located down 
     a steep gravel hill, inaccessible to wheelchairs.  I 
     couldn't get the school to make accommodations, until I had 
     ADA behind me.  (Linda Hawkins, Georgia)

     The Discovery Zone is ramped, so my son can play there with 
     his brother. . . . It didn't take much to make the bowling 
     alley accessible, but if it weren't for ADA, the changes 
     wouldn't have happened.  (Laurie Brink, Maine)

And the future looks increasingly better for accessible sports 
and recreation opportunities:
     Two accessible fishing and dock facilities are being built 
     this summer on the Kenai Peninsula.  And it is because of 
     the ADA that they are being designed to be accessible.  I 
     also know a man who made his fishing boat accessible.  There 
     were so many people with disabilities who wanted to go out 
     on his boat, that he realized making his vessel accessible 
     meant more business.  (Jim Beck, Alaska) 

     We have already received contributions totalling more than 
     $110,000 for the Freedom Trail [an accessible playground].  
     The playground will not be specifically for children who are 
     physically impaired, but will be a place where all children 
     can have fun.  (Kenny Violette, Oklahoma)

     In this project,100 acres are being made into an accessible 
     park.  There will be piers and boat launches that can 
     accommodate wheelchairs.  Near the pond will be an 
     accessible area for cleaning and cooking fish.  There will 
     be accessible cabins, chartered excursions, and a sensory 
     botanical garden that people with visual impairments can 
     enjoy.  We are also planning an accessible trail from the 
     park to Jean Lafitte National Historical Park, about one 
     mile away.  (Mary LeBlanc, Louisiana)


     In summary, while the accessibility goals of the ADA have 
not yet produced universal access, speakers at town meetings all 
across the country reported that the implementation of the ADA 
has resulted in greater access to the physical environment:
     Before the Americans with Disabilities Act became law, a 
     walk downtown had to be strategically planned.  What streets 
     could I use without being hit by a car?  If there were 
     sidewalks, were there driveways?  How much further out of 
     the way would I have to walk just to get across the street?  
     Needless to say, just a walk was an adventure. . . . Then 
     after getting downtown, maybe the store wasn't accessible.  
     I would just sit inside the entrance and the clerk or 
     friends would bring me the items. . . . We still have a ways 
     to go, but because of the Americans with Disabilities Act, I 
     can get into more and more public places.  Things like 
     designated parking
     spaces, accessible entrances, wider aisles, and accessible 
     restrooms. . . .  (Michelle Campbell, Kansas)

     Before we had the ADA, it was difficult to convince the 
     business community . . . to accommodate physically 
     challenged people like myself who use wheelchairs.  But ever 
     since . . . people have begun to realize that consumers who 
     are physically challenged are no longer isolated, but are 
     integrated into society:
  
       -  Banks have installed electric doors, lowered counters 
          and teller windows, and installed ramps;

       -  Restaurants have rearranged seating and made bathroom 
          stalls big enough for wheelchairs;

       -  Supermarkets and other merchants have widened their 
          aisles and checkout lines;

       -  Many malls have increased their designated parking 
          spaces, added curb cuts, and provided accessible 
          bathrooms;

       -  In the area of construction, they now have to consider 
          that whenever they make renovations to existing 
          buildings or new buildings they must make 
          accommodation; 

       -  Hotels have redone a couple of their units to 
          accommodate travellers with wheelchairs; and,

       -  In road construction . . . they have been removing old 
          curbs and replacing them with proper curb cuts.  
          (Ronald Giovagnoli, New Hampshire)









      The ADA:  Increased Access to Employment Opportunities

     Simply put, the Americans with Disabilities Act allowed me 
     to return to the workforce this past June.  After six years 
     of receiving disability benefits, I was able to collect a 
     paycheck.  That feels a lot better than waiting on a direct 
     deposit from the government.  (Michael R. Todd, Kansas)

     How has the ADA affected my life?  I got out of bed this 
     morning and went to work.  It wouldn't have happened without 
     the ADA.  (Paul Gowens, Nevada)


     One of the greatest hopes expressed at the time of the ADA's 
passage in 1990 was that the implementation of the Act would lead 
to a significant increase in employment for people with 
disabilities:  
     Dependency increases the costs of entitlements, lowers our 
     gross national product, and reduces revenue to the Federal 
     government. . . . People with disabilities want to work . . 
     . to be productive, self-supporting and tax paying 
     participants in society.  The Americans with Disabilities 
     Act grants us that dignity and that right.  (Former 
     Congressman Tony Coelho, 1990)

     ADA will empower people to control their own lives.  It will 
     result in a cost savings to the Federal government.  As we 
     empower people to be independent, to control their own 
     lives, to gain their own employment, their own income, their 
     own housing, their own transportation, taxpayers will save 
     substantial sums from the alternatives.  (Former Congressman 
     Steve Bartlett, 1990)


     According to speakers at town meetings across the country, 
the ADA has begun to build a foundation for increased employment 
opportunities for people with disabilities by reducing 
discrimination in defining the essential elements of jobs, 
promoting fairness in the application process, and allowing for 
reasonable accommodations in the workplace.

     First of all, the ADA has caused employers to re-think what 
constitutes the essential elements of a particular job.  

     Jerry Droll described an employer who wanted to hire a blind 
     woman, because she tested better than other job applicants.  
     But he was worried because she would be unable to count the 
     money in the cash box.  When the employer stopped to think 
     that this activity took place only for an hour every two 
     weeks, he decided to hire her.  The employer realized that 
     this small part of the job was not an essential function.  
     She could perform all the essential functions, so he hired 
     her.  (Jerry Droll, Ohio)

     Tad Childs, Director of IBM's Workforce Diversity Program, 
     sent a letter to the town meeting in which he wrote that the 
     ADA has brought the concept of  "essential functions" to his 
     company's attention:  We wanted to be sure we complied with 
     this landmark legislation.  IBM has altered its policies on 
     applicant inquiries and medical exams to comply with the 
     law.  IBM has developed a comprehensive ADA training
     program for all its managers, and all line managers are 
     trained to deal with disabilities on a daily basis.  We hire 
     talented people with skills and potential who happen to have 
     disabilities.  Full and equal access is at the heart of the 
     ADA.  (Tad Childs, California)


     Secondly, the ADA has added fairness to the job 
qualification and application process, reducing the amount of 
prejudicial prejudgment applicants with disabilities face simply 
because they have disabilities:
     Before the ADA, I could go to a job interview and the 
     employer could say, "We won't hire you because you're 
     disabled," and I had no legal recourse.  (Tim Harrington, 
     Ohio)

     Dallas-Fort Worth Airport has dropped arbitrary barriers to 
     employment.  The Airport reports that they are finding 
     better applicants than before and would like to hire more 
     people with disabilities.  (Kimberly Bunting, Texas)

     Thanks to the ADA and the Alabama Bar Association, I was 
     able to take the bar exam in a large print version, and I 
     was given extra time.  (Beth Butler, a young attorney with a 
     visual impairment, Alabama)


     Third, the ADA has opened up the job market for people with 
disabilities through the allowance of reasonable accommodations.  
Some of these reasonable accommodations involve assistive 
devices:
     I used to have to type with my nose.  But I got a new type 
     of keyboard, so now I don't have to.  I wouldn't have been 
     able to get this accommodation if it weren't for the ADA. 
     (Mike Roselle, New York)

     
     Mary Beth Metzger is a personnel administrator who happens 
     to be blind.   Graphical user interfaces enable her to use 
     her computer.  She credits the ADA with getting people's 
     attention:  There were disability rights laws in existence 
     before the ADA, but it took the ADA to ensure that these 
     laws are enforced.  (Mary Beth Metzger, New York)   
     Ann Pal agrees.  The ADA made my employer aware of assistive 
     listening devices.  My employer bought the device, as well 
     as a TDD and a hearing aid-compatible telephone.  Without 
     this equipment, I wouldn't be doing my job as a physical 
     therapist today.  (Ann Pal, Alabama)

     Some reasonable accommodations involve modifying the 
existing work space:

     When I started working at Home Depot, I was asked what could 
     be done to make the store accessible for me and for others 
     as well. . . . At my request, the cash register was modified 
     so I could operate it.  (Jeff Miller, South Carolina)

     I am treated like any other employee.  Whenever I let my 
     supervisor know about barriers at work, they are removed.  
     Once, my supervisor saw that I could not reach the time 
     clock because a cabinet was in the way.  He yanked out the 
     cabinet when he realized it blocked my reach.  (Butch Towne, 
     Massachusetts) 

     Other reasonable accommodations involve providing 
flexibility in work schedules:
     Sheila Brown said that was diagnosed with breast cancer a 
     few months ago, and that her employer has been 
     accommodating.  I can work a flexible schedule, and I am 
     allowed to work from home when I need to.  (Sheila Brown, 
     Alabama)

     Another person, whose condition requires her to rest, keep 
     warm, and elevate her legs, has been accommodated at work 
     fairly easily.  Her employer gave her the warmest office, 
     and she uses an ottoman to raise her legs.  She also takes 
     breaks when necessary.  Once, when I couldn't come to work 
     at all, but had a meeting to run, my boss allowed me to 
     conduct it via a conference call.  Even though I needed to 
     rest at home that day, I could still do my job.  (Fatica 
     Ayers, Ohio)

     Other reasonable accommodations involve help in the form of 
interpreters, personal assistants, or job coaches:  
     Drew Weldon had nothing but praise for her employer, Blue 
     Cross-Blue Shield:  They got me an interpreter for meetings 
     and lectures, and I never even had to ask for a TTY. (Drew 
     Weldon, Alabama)

     Kit Phillips is proud that her daughter Tina is employed and 
     lives on her own, in spite of the fact that she is mentally 
     retarded and has a physical disability.  Her group is 
     working to assist young people with disabilities make the 
     transition from school to work:  We just got a grant to hire 
     a job coach to work with young people.  Once a young person 
     is employed, the job coach will work with him or her and the 
     employer until all three feel comfortable that the employee 
     can do the job.  An ongoing resource, the job coach will 
     check in periodically with each employee in the program.  
     (Kit Phillips, Oklahoma)

     Another parent expressed satisfaction that her son was being 
     supported in his job by both a good supervisor and a job 
     coach.  The employment provisions of the ADA have meant a 
     great deal to her and her family.  Her son, a young man with 
     mental retardation, is employed 20 hours a week at a grocery 
     store, bagging groceries and carrying them to cars for 
     customers.  My son is earning a minimum wage and working 20 
     hours a week.  It's a lot better than staying home and not 
     having the chance to develop any job skills!  (Sandra Kutz, 
     Nebraska)


     Whatever the form of reasonable accommodation, managers are 
much more likely to support the employment of people with 
disabilities in their departments when the cost of these 
accommodations is part of a centralized company account.  
     Brian Smith, who is blind, is an Assistant Vice President 
     for Personnel at NationsBank in Dallas.  NationsBank is 
     committed to making reasonable accommodations.  In fact, the 
     company has set up a separate cost center, so that managers 
     are free to base their hiring decisions on skill, education, 
     and experience, rather than on the cost of accommodation:  
     The ADA opened doors for me to use my education and 
     experience to get a good job and to do what I was trained to 
     do.  (Brian Smith, Texas)


     Unemployment among people with disabilities is still at the 
level of 65-70 percent.  This is clearly unacceptable, and the 
unemployment level has not changed appreciably during the five 
years the ADA has been in effect.  Yet, consumers all across the 
country testified to the fact that the ADA was beginning to 
change the structural barriers that had previously made work 
impossible.  In addition, other factors such as the 
discrimination faced by people with disabilities in accessing 
nongovernment-supported health care insurance and the continuing 
barriers to employment contained in Social Security regulations 
were cited as reasons for lack of substantial progress in 
changing the unemployment rate.

     Can people with disabilities work in substantially greater 
numbers?  The answer from consumers is affirmative.  However, it 
is obvious that the ADA alone does not provide sufficient answers 
to this problem.  In the ideal situation under the ADA, people 
with disabilities could be absolutely free from discrimination. 
Yet they would risk losing what few possessions they might have 
and all of their medical insurance (even when they have complex 
medical needs) in order to take a part-time, minimum-wage job.  
For too many Americans with disabilities, work does not pay.

     In spite of these continuing barriers to employment, 
improvements such as more careful definition of the essential 
functions of jobs, increased fairness in the job application and 
qualification processes, and the allowance of a wide variety of 
reasonable accommodations in the workplace are allowing more 
Americans with disabilities to go to work, gain control of their 
lives, and exit government-supported programs:
     Employers are seeing advantages to hiring people with 
     disabilities.  They are competent employees, enthusiastic 
     and productive.  My friends and I appreciate the ADA.  Today 
     I'm speaking on behalf of several friends who couldn't come 
     because they're working.  Blame the ADA for that!  (Glen 
     Barr, Tennessee)



          The ADA:  Easier Communication, Easier Mobility


     In order to work and to be participating members of 
communities, people with disabilities need to be able to 
communicate with others and experience the same type and degree 
of mobility that non-disabled citizens experience as part of 
everyday life.  Speakers at town meetings all across the country 
reported that since the passage of the ADA, communication and 
mobility have become easier.  

     In particular, the establishment of telephone relay systems 
across the country has significantly improved communication 
options for people with hearing or speech impairments:
     The benefits that Title IV's requirement for relay services 
     has brought are undisputed.  Integration of deaf, hard of 
     hearing, and speech impaired individuals through the 
     telecommunication network brought these individuals 
     increased freedom, independence, and privacy.  (Michael 
     Zeledon, Minnesota)

     In Arkansas, Gwen Winston, who is profoundly deaf, was 
     appreciative of the fact that . . . my little country church 
     put in a loop.  (Gwen Winston, Arkansas)  Another woman at 
     the Arkansas town meeting reported that she had never used a 
     telephone in her life.  She was excited about the relay 
     system:  Now I can talk on the phone all I want.

     The Georgia Highway Patrol has also made its services more 
     accessible by installing a TDD.  They have not always had 
     access through the relay, and they wanted to make sure deaf 
     people could reach them in an emergency.  (Sandy Marchman, 
     Georgia)

     Mark Calucci, who has a hearing impairment, described a 
     pre-ADA experience:  He was driving his car when a 
     torrential rainstorm broke out.  The road became flooded, 
     and his car stalled.  There was no place to move the car, so 
     he walked to a nearby gas station.  There was no hearing 
     aid-compatible phone and no phone with a volume-raising 
     switch, so I tried to explain my situation to the manager 
     and get him to call my family or the police or a tow truck 
     for me.  The owner refused to help.  His young assistant 
     even snuck outside to make the call, and was promptly fired.  
     Finally,
     Calucci called his brother, and just hoped that his brother 
     was listening.   Today none of that would have happened.  
     With the ADA, I can use a public phone instead of being at 
     the mercy of others in an emergency.  (Mark Calucci, 
     Connecticut)

Family members have also benefitted from the establishment of 
relay services:
     Although not deaf himself, Mark Palmer has benefited from 
     the advances the ADA has offered people with hearing 
     impairments:  I never got to be a child because I always had 
     to interpret for my deaf parents.  Palmer described the 
     pressure he felt growing up having to hear and speak for his 
     parents.  In medical situations, with merchants, with the 
     police, on the phone, even when he was sick, he was 
     continually thrust into the adult role of having to take 
     care of his parents' needs.  Palmer recounted how difficult 
     it was to make phone calls for his parents: People often 
     wouldn't respond to me because they knew I was a kid.  But 
     today the situation is much improved.  Palmer's parents use 
     the relay service, and they watch captioned TV:  I am no 
     longer required to make sure my parents' needs are met 
     because they can do it themselves!


     In the area of mobility, speakers provided many examples of 
how the ADA has made mobility both possible and easier:
     After years of staying home, I can finally get out of my 
     house and travel.  (Sally Scubin, Virginia)

     The transportation part of the ADA is changing my life.  I 
     can visit my 88-year-old Dad, swim, and go to the library, 
     all because of transportation called for in the ADA.  
     (Christina Keefer, California)

     Most people would not think that a blind person who uses a 
     wheelchair could travel independently, hold a job, and be a 
     taxpayer.  But the transportation access requirements of the 
     ADA allow me to make my 220-mile commute to Boston from my 
     home in Northampton several times a month.  (Denise Karuth, 
     Massachusetts)

     In 1992, paratransit was restricted to medical trips.  I 
     couldn't use it to get to job interviews.  Now I can take it 
     almost anywhere.  I can take my three-year-old to a movie or 
     a store.  (Susan Stacy, Tennessee)

     It is well documented that transportation is the main 
     barrier for people with disabilities to work.  But 
     improvements in paratransit have given people with 
     disabilities more access to employment and to other 
     activities as well.  (Kathleen Gregg, New Jersey)

     Pablo Viera reports that transportation is the single 
     greatest impact the ADA has had on his life.  When he 
     graduated from college in 1992, ready to go to work, he had 
     no way to get there.  His town of Vineland had no public 
     transportation, and he could
     not afford to buy a car until he could get a job to pay for 
     it:  a Catch 22.  But Viera applied for New Jersey Transport 
     Access Link and was accepted:  I no longer had the anxiety 
     of wondering if my relatives, friends, or church members had 
     the time to take me to the places I needed to go.  I now 
     have a better job, more conveniently located, and while I 
     still use paratransit, I should be able to buy my own car in 
     about a month.  (Pablo Viera, New Jersey)


     With increased opportunities in the areas of communication 
and mobility, people with disabilities will be able to gain 
access to new jobs, pursue expanded career opportunities, and 
interact with family members, friends, and other community 
members more frequently.  They will reduce their dependence on 
government programs while making greater contributions to their 
communities and to the Nation as a whole.

                    The ADA:  Modest Costs in 
                 Spite of Exaggerated Predictions


     Because of the ADA, the city put lifts on buses, and I 
     became an employed person again.  I spend my money and pay 
     taxes, thanks to an accessible transportation system that 
     wouldn't have occurred without the ADA.  ADA let me get out 
     of social services and into a productive, meaningful life.  
     (Jesse Tyler, Georgia)

     Once they understand the ADA, their fears are alleviated.  
     It's a pleasure to see their worry turn to relief when they 
     realize that a ramp will cost them only $200, not $3000.  
     (Mary Elizabeth Rider, Alaska)

     When the ADA was signed into law in 1990, some claimed that 
compliance with the law would be very costly, possibly 
bankrupting businesses and municipalities.  This has not 
occurred, nor could it have occurred, given language in the law 
itself that limits costs that represent an "undue hardship" to 
covered entities.  Instead, in meeting after meeting, speakers 
described the reasonable costs that have been involved in 
implementing the Act as well as the many financial benefits that 
have resulted for people with disabilities, for businesses, and 
for the public as a whole as a result of the ADA.
     The State government in Tennessee has hired many people with 
     disabilities, and the cost of accommodation has been low.  
     More than half of the accommodations cost nothing at all.  
     For those accommodations that did cost money, the average 
     cost was $206.  (James Davis, Tennessee)

     The Cerebral Palsy Foundation conducts an annual survey of 
     employers.  The Foundation has found that most reasonable 
     accommodations cost less than $500.  Employers are pleased 
     to find that the things I need are very inexpensive!  
     (Elizabeth Pazdral, California)

     The main accommodation I needed at work was just a couple of 
     wooden blocks to raise my computer desk so that my 
     wheelchair could fit under it.  The cost?  Less than five 
     dollars!  (Kenneth Golden,  Kansas)


     The costs of ADA compliance reported by speakers all over 
the country were consistent with the evolving body of national 
research that demonstrates that the cost of compliance is usually 
quite modest and reasonable.  For example,  as we observed in an 
earlier report[0] to the President and Congress:
     The law itself requires that covered entities incur the 
     costs of "reasonable accommodations" to make their 
     facilities, programs, and services accessible to individuals 
     with disabilities unless such accommodations pose an "undue 
     hardship" on the entity.  Given this two-part test, there is 
     obviously room for discussion regarding both what is 
     "reasonable" and what constitutes an "undue hardship."  
     Thus, there is no concrete requirement that covered entities 
     must absolutely make every accommodation requested by every 
     individual with a disability.  Furthermore, it has been 
     found that reasonable accommodations often do not require a 
     great deal of expense.  For example, the Job Accommodation 
     Network sponsored by the President's Committee on Employment 
     of People with Disabilities reports that based on its 
     national data bank, using the average (mean) cumulative 
     figures, for every dollar spent to make an accommodation, 
     the company got $15.34.[0]  In addition, a recent study 
     based on the experience of Sears, Roebuck, and Company in 
     making reasonable accommodations reported that the average 
     accommodation cost the company $121.00.  The study also 
     reported that 69% of accommodations cost nothing, 28% cost 
     less than $1,000, and only 3% exceeded $1,000.[0]  These 
     data are in general agreement with the overall data reported 
     by the President's Committee on Employment of People with 
     Disabilities.  Thus, the idea that compliance with the ADA 
     will cause great financial burdens to covered entities is 
     not supported by either the provisions of the law itself or 
     by practical experience to date in implementing the law. 


     Beyond the issue of cost, the ADA has tangible economic 
benefits.  First of all, compliance benefits people with 
disabilities:
     After six years of receiving disability benefits, I am now 
     able to collect a paycheck.  ADA has removed barriers to 
     employment, and it feels good once again to be a 
     contributing member of society.  ADA is a wonderful piece of 
     legislation that has allowed many of us to achieve 
     independence.  (Michael Todd, Kansas)
     Second, compliance with the ADA can benefit businesses:

     Businesses may worry about the cost of making reasonable 
     accommodations.  But they also want to attract customers.  
     If it costs $100 per square foot to make a place accessible 
     to 85% of the public, why not spend $10-$12 more per square 
     foot to reach 100% of the population?  (Kirk Tchernershoff, 
     Alabama)

     People in wheelchairs are not the only ones who benefit from 
     the changes.  We are in a tourist area, and there a lot of 
     elderly people as well as young people with strollers who 
     take advantage of the ramp.  I encourage other business 
     owners to go above and beyond the ADA.  This has increased 
     my business.  (Jock Lijoi, Tennessee)

     Since the ADA, so many opportunities have opened up.  Now we 
     can go into any market together without my having to lift 
     Angela over the curb.  Even when Angela is not with me, I 
     try to patronize accessible places.  If I have a choice 
     between a place that is not accessible and one that is, I'll 
     chose the one that is.  (Ian Miller, Tennessee)


     Finally, compliance with the ADA benefits all Americans, by 
creating opportunities for people with disabilities to work, to 
become less dependent on tax-supported government programs, and 
to contribute to the tax base itself:
     It's expensive to support a person with a disability on 
     public funds or to keep someone in a nursing home, 
     especially when that person could be out earning money.  The 
     ADA saves taxpayers' money.  (Ian Miller, Tennessee)

     The growth in the number of people with disabilities who 
     have been employed due to a drop in barriers means a 
     reduction in Social Security costs and a saving of 
     taxpayers' money.  (Kathleen Gregg, New Jersey)

     Not only is this increase in transportation availability 
     good for the transit users, but it saves the taxpayers money 
     as well.  Medicaid allots $19.00 in transportation costs for 
     a medical trip, but a ride to a medical appointment on 
     paratransit costs just $1.50, a significant savings.  (Karen 
     Vaughn, Indiana)

     I have placed 54 people with disabilities in jobs.  In 
     addition to being productive citizens, these people have 
     contributed more than $91,000 in taxes to their local, 
     State, and Federal governments  (Kenton Dickerson, 
     Tennessee)



               Chiefly Voluntary, Not Lawsuit-Based
  
     When the ADA became law in 1990, some predicted that it 
would lead to numerous lawsuits.  Critics charged that terms such 
as reasonable accommodation, undue hardship, and readily 
achievable found in the law were too vague; they would give rise 
to multiple interpretations and, thus, numerous lawsuits.  
However, if one studies the history of the ADA, from its initial 
drafts through its overwhelming passage in both the House and the 
Senate after extended and serious dialogue and negotiations with 
the Bush Administration, one can see that the ADA actually 
represented a very balanced approach to redressing the historical 
discrimination and exclusion experienced by people with 
disabilities in America, a maturing of our national approach 
toward the protection and advancement of civil rights.

     According to participants in town meetings all across the 
country, the result of this new approach to civil rights has been 
essentially voluntary compliance on the part of the majority of 
covered entities:
     Although I was vice president of the local arts guild, I had 
     to enter through the back door.  I requested a ramp at the 
     front door and got it.  (Wynelle Carson, Tennessee)

     A few years ago, the neighborhood 7-11 store did not have a 
     ramp.  I went to the manager and asked for one, and a week 
     later it was there.  When I went to a Kentucky Fried Chicken 
     restaurant, there was a ramp, but a tiny step at the doorway 
     still kept me out.  I explained the problem to the manager 
     and it was soon fixed.  (Gary Lyle, Virginia)

     We wrote letters to a local grocery store requesting ramps 
     and handicapped parking.  The store honored our requests.  I 
     also asked for and got an elevator installed in City Hall 
     after I told officials that being carried to the second 
     floor for City Council meetings was unacceptable to me and 
     that it presented a liability problem for the city.  (Larry 
     Breneman, Tennessee)

     Carol Bowen told a store owner that she could not shop at 
     his store because the aisles were inaccessible.  He measured 
     the width of my chair and then he re-did the store.  Now it 
     is completely accessible.  (Carol Bowen, Virginia)


     Even in situations in which people with disabilities have 
met with initial refusals to accommodate to their needs, they 
have not automatically proceeded to file lawsuits:
     We repeatedly asked a steak house to make accessibility 
     improvements, but we were ignored.  So we set up our own 
     table outside the restaurant and sent someone in to order 
     our food.  Of course, this attracted a crowd, and the 
     restaurant soon made the changes.  (Wynelle Carson, 
     Tennessee)


     In meeting after meeting across the country, Council members 
asked participants to raise their hands if they had worked to 
negotiate with others regarding ADA compliance.  Hundreds did so.  
When the same people were then asked if they had filed a lawsuit 
based on the ADA, very few raised their hands.  In short, the 
high degree of voluntary compliance with the provisions of the 
ADA is a credit to those who framed the Act, citizens with 
disabilities who have demonstrated creativity and endurance in 
pursuit of their civil rights, and all of those covered entities 
that have chosen to comply with the Act voluntarily.  



               The ADA:  Strengthening the Roles and
            Self-Images of Americans with Disabilities

     The ADA has done a lot for my mental attitude about 
     approaching employers.  I know you can't legislate 
     confidence, but in a way, ADA has done that for me. (Jerry 
     Vogt, Wisconsin)


     Across the Nation, people with disabilities testified as to 
the major positive changes that the ADA had made in their 
abilities to serve in ordinary and valued social roles, as well 
as their own self-images:
     My kids are free to be kids.  And by increasing 
     accessibility, the ADA has allowed me to be the Mom I want 
     to be.  (Sharon Hazard, Tennessee)

     With the ADA, I finally have a role independent of my 
     husband.  I can get into buildings, go grocery shopping, all 
     on my own now.  (Evelyn Williams, Mississippi)

     Before the ADA, I had to ask my daughter to make phone calls 
     for me and interpret for me.  Now she can play.  I don't 
     have to interrupt her any more.  We both like it better this 
     way!  (Sherry Rademacher, Tennessee)

     As a person with a disability, I find the best part of ADA 
     is gaining access to somewhere I've never been before.  
     (Jeff Simon, Kansas)

     I was the first hearing impaired juror in Arkansas.  In the 
     past, people with hearing impairments were kept off juries 
     because [it was believed that] an interpreter might distract 
     other jurors.  (Ann Garner, Arkansas)

     Our 10 days [in Hawaii] were great.  The tour buses and 
     trolleys all had lifts, and it felt good to be able to 
     travel just like anyone else.  (Paul Wysocki, Washington)

     I was a prisoner in my own home, so I advocated for 
     paratransit.  Then came the news that paratransit would 
     begin.  I was so excited!  And I felt so proud zipping 
     around stores in my wheelchair, making my purchases.  
     (Lauren Esposito, Connecticut)

     A weight was lifted from my shoulders when the ADA passed.  
     The ADA has given me the confidence that, if I work hard and 
     succeed in school, I can expect to find a good job.  (Ken 
     Adell, Wisconsin)


     Strengthened roles and more positive self-images will 
empower people with disabilities to achieve greater levels of 
independence, to participate in their communities, and to become 
positive examples to all citizens of the potential for 
achievement that rests within all people with disabilities.  
Through this interactive process, prejudice and discrimination 
will be lessened and more opportunities opened.

      The ADA:  Creating Positive Changes in American Culture


     Overall, society is more accommodating to people with 
     physical and visual impairments than before the ADA.  (Rick 
     Treano, New Jersey)


     One of America's strongest cultural values is the acceptance 
and celebration of diversity.  We are a Nation of immigrants, a 
"melting pot" of various cultures, creeds, and backgrounds.  In 
America, it is thought that it is "normal" to be different.  Yet, 
like many cultural ideals, we often fall short of our cultural 
goal of accepting and celebrating diversity.  However, 
legislation such as the ADA assists us in coming closer to this 
goal.  

     Speakers all across the Nation told stories of how the ADA 
is creating positive changes in American culture, changes that 
will move us closer to our cultural ideals.  First of all, it is 
increasingly clear that the beneficiaries of the ADA are not just 
people with disabilities; the ADA benefits all Americans:
     Clearly, ramps and curb cuts are better, not only for people 
     with disabilities, but for many of the non-disabled as well:  
     parents pushing strollers, bicyclists, people with injuries, 
     and elderly people.  (Rick Tessandore, Alaska)

     I suffered a wrist injury, and while wearing a cast, I found 
     lever-type door handles installed in businesses and public 
     facilities a life saver.  I applaud ADA for improving the 
     lives of all Americans.  (Allison Walters, Kansas)

     The ADA is not just for people with disabilities now, but it 
     affects us in the future too.  The ADA will keep us from 
     being restricted as we get older.  I want the ADA to be 
     there for me down the road if I need it.  (Michelle Rico, 
     Nevada)


     Changes brought about by the ADA have made many people in 
our culture realize that being non-disabled may only be a 
temporary condition.  Like Michelle Rico above, many people now 
expect that at some point in their lives, they might experience 
disability.  However,  with the physical changes and-in 
particular-the growing attitudinal changes that have been brought 
about as a result of people with disabilities being visible and 
expected members of everyday life, the fear and drama that once 
characterized the approaches many people took to disability are 
fading away:
     The ADA helps able-bodied people as well.  It helps me in 
     two ways.  First of all, I could become disabled at any time 
     and would really need the law.  And second, thanks to the 
     ADA, I've gotten to know some fine people I wouldn't have 
     met if curb cuts, wheelchair lifts, and other improvements 
     hadn't been made that allow people with disabilities to get 
     out in the world.  (Liz Patrick, Georgia)

     The city [of Boulder] has really taken accessibility to 
     heart.  I can pile my three kids onto my wheelchair and we 
     go exploring all over the city.  (Bruce Gougen, Colorado)

     I was eating in a Walgreen's restaurant, and the little girl 
     in the next booth kept turning around and staring at me.  
     Then she walked by me to the bathroom, staring all the 
     while.  On her way back, she stopped and asked me what was 
     wrong with me.  I explained that I fell down and broke my 
     back, so I can't walk.  Then I heard the girl tell her 
     mother, "See, Mom, I told you there's nothing wrong with 
     him!"  (John Roberts, Colorado)

This child's perspective may indicate that the increasing 
visibility of people with disabilities as part of everyday life 
is leading to a cultural expectation that disability is a natural 
and expected part of life.

     Dawn Caldwell's son has cerebral palsy.  But unlike 
generations of parents of children with disabilities before her, 
Dawn can expect and look forward to his valued participation in 
preschool next year, just like any other parent:
     It's great to see how attitudes have changed.  All the 
     preschools we looked at were accepting and eager to have 
     Alex.  They have ramps and accessible bathrooms.  Thanks in 
     part to the ADA, I can take my son anywhere and he will feel 
     included.  (Dawn Caldwell, Ohio)


     The values embodied in the Americans with Disabilities 
Act-equal protection under the law, individual empowerment, 
freedom of association, economic opportunity, etc.-are important 
to and for all Americans.  Our national culture of participatory 
democracy is enriched every time a previously excluded group is 
empowered to become part of our expected cultural fabric.  The 
ADA is leading us in the direction of this positive change on a 
daily basis.


Conclusion:  Equality of Opportunity, Full Participation, Independent 
          Living, Economic Self-Sufficiency-A Formula for
                 Success in American Public Policy

     The ADA has removed barriers to public transportation, 
     employment, public services, and telecommunications-barriers 
     that have cost us economically and socially.  (Dale Kennedy, 
     Arkansas)

     The Americans with Disabilities Act remains a major example 
of success in progressive public policy.  Although clear in its 
insistence that the civil rights of people with disabilities be 
established, protected, and enforced, it is also clearly an 
example of maturation in our national approach to creating 
positive social change, benefitting all Americans, both today and 
in the future:
     The ADA is fantastic.  I can go out and participate.  The 
     ADA makes me feel like I'm one of the gang.  (Sandra Brent, 
     Arkansas)

     Even though we had the Rehab Act of 1973, it took the ADA to 
     make real change.  The ADA has given me hope, independence, 
     and dignity.  (Yadi Mark, Louisiana)

     Because of the ADA, I have more of the opportunities that 
     other people have.  Now I feel like a participant in life, 
     not a spectator.  (Brenda Henry, Kansas)

     A successful person with a disability was once thought of as 
     unusual.  Now successful people with disabilities are the 
     rule.  It's the ADA that has opened the door.  (Donna 
     Smith-Whitty, Mississippi)


     In summary, our overall finding is that when we examine the 
negative rhetoric and reports that have characterized certain 
media outlets over the past five years, and compare them with the 
actual research data and the experiences of people with 
disabilities, of their family members, of  businesses, and of 
public servants, we discover that this relatively new law has 
begun to move us rapidly toward a society in which all Americans 
can live, attend school, obtain employment, be a part of a 
family, and be a part of a community in spite of the presence of 
a disability.  What is needed now is a renewed commitment to the 
goals of the Act (which were crafted under unprecedented 
bipartisan efforts), sufficient resources to support further 
education and training concerning the ADA, and effective 
enforcement.  

     The above is but a brief summary of what thousands of 
consumers told us about the positive impact the ADA has had on 
their lives over the past five years.  In the pages that follow, 
we summarize stories and comments heard in all 50 States, the 
District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.  Although 
implementation of the ADA has not occurred evenly, citizens 
across the Nation report that the ADA is beginning to make a real 
difference.  From Maine to California, from Texas to Alaska, the 
ADA is improving the lives of all Americans.








































































                                 
                                 



0. Please refer to Appendix A for a brief summary of the Act.

0. P.L.101-336, 2(a)(1-9).

0. Another indicator of the degree of voluntary compliance with 
the Act is found in the fact that since the passage of the ADA, 
requests for information on methods of providing reasonable 
accommodations to people with disabilities have increased by 700% 
at the Job Accommodation Network operated by the President's 
Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities.

0. National Council on the Handicapped.  (1986).  Toward 
independence:  An assessment of federal laws and programs 
affecting citizens with disabilities-With legislative 
recommendations.  Washington, DC:  Author; Note:  The National 
Council on the Handicapped has since been renamed the National 
Council on Disability.

0. P.L.102-569 401(a)(7).  Please refer to Appendix B for a 
brief description of the National Council on Disability.

0. See Gore, A.  (1993).  From red tape to results:  Creating a 
government that works better and costs less.  Washington, DC:  
U.S. Government Printing Office.

0. See, for example, National Council on Disability.  (1993).  
ADA watch-Year one:  A report to the President and the Congress 
on progress in implementing the Americans with Disabilities Act.  
Washington, DC: Author;  General Accounting Office.  (1994).  
Americans with Disabilities Act:  Effects of the law on access to 
goods and services.  Washington, DC:  Author; and West, J. 
(1994).  Federal implementation of the Americans with 
Disabilities Act, 1991-94.  New York:  Milbank Memorial Fund.



0. Please refer to Appendix C for a list of dates and locations 
of meetings.

0. National Council on Disability. (1995).  The Americans with 
Disabilities Act:  Creating equal access to the American dream.  
Washington, DC:  Author.

0. Job Accommodation Network.  (1994).  Accommodation 
benefit/cost data.  Morgantown, WV:  Author (p. 4).

0. Blanck, P. (1994).  Communicating the Americans with 
Disabilities Act - Transcending compliance:  A case report on 
Sears, Roebuck, and Co.  Washington, DC:  Annenberg Washington 
Program.






















                    SUMMARIES OF TOWN MEETINGS









                            APPENDICES
                  NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
                  50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                      ALABAMA SUMMARY REPORT
               FEBRUARY 14, 1995



Host organization: Birmingham Independent Living Center
NCD Member: Mary Raether

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in Alabama?

     The ADA is making a difference to residents of Alabama. And 
one of the Act's major impacts is in the area of employment. An 
unidentified speaker talked with pride about her brother who has 
mental and developmental disabilities. "In the past, he couldn't 
keep a job," the speaker said, "but since the ADA passed, a 
grocery store hired him." The store manager is aware of her 
brother's needs and accommodates him, she says. "And he now 
provides for himself and his family," the speaker said.
     Another woman, Beulah Brown, told those present that she was 
diagnosed with breast cancer a few months ago, and that her 
employer has been accommodating. "I can work a flexible schedule, 
and I am allowed to work from home when I need to," she said.
     Drew Weldon described actions taken by his employer, Blue 
Cross-Blue Shield. "They got me an interpreter for meetings and 
lectures, and I never even had to ask for a TTY," said Weldon.  
He said his employer was well-aware of the ADA before she began 
working there.
     Ann Pal is hard of hearing. "The ADA made my employer aware 
of assistive listening devices," said Pal, a physical therapist. 
Her employer bought the device, as well as a TTY and a hearing 
aid-compatible telephone. "Without this equipment, I wouldn't be 
doing my job today," she said. Another technology Pal likes is 
close captioned TV. "Now I can understand what my children are 
watching," she laughed.
     Kay Phillips also reported that her employment experience 
has been favorably affected by the ADA. Several years ago when 
she returned to work after a severe depressive episode, her 
employer ignored her doctor's recommendation that changes be made 
in her work environment. She was told by her employer that if she 
did not resume her job without modifications, she would be viewed 
as refusing to work. Recently another depressive episode caused 
her to miss work. "But this time it was different," she said. "My 
boss called me at home and explained the ADA to me. They wanted 
me to come back, and they helped make the changes I needed to 
work."
     Workers with epilepsy have also benefited from the ADA, 
according to Chantelle Sonnier of the Epilepsy Foundation. 
"People once thought those with epilepsy can't work," she said. 
"The ADA has helped make people aware that frequent breaks and 
modifications in office lighting can help those with epilepsy to 
perform well in the workplace." And, thanks to the ADA, explained 
Sonnier, the interview process cannot include questions about 
seizures.
     The ADA has also reduced the barriers that can keep people 
with disabilities out of certain professions. "Thanks to the ADA 
and the Alabama Bar Association," said Beth Butler, a young 
attorney with a visual impairment, "I was able to take the bar 
exam in a large print version, and I was given extra time." 
Butler reported that 18 others with disabilities took the bar 
exam with her, and all were accommodated. 
     The business community has responded supportively to the 
ADA, according to some speakers. "Five years ago we couldn't have 
begged businesses to offer training in disability awareness, but 
today they're clamoring for it," said Peggy Anderson, ADA 
Coordinator for the Alabama Department of Rehabilitation 
Services. "People in business and industry want to implement the 
ADA, and they want help in recruiting qualified workers." 
Anderson's agency works with more than 2,500 businesses annually 
who want to hire or have already hired people with disabilities. 
"The partnership between business and Rehabilitation Services is 
really growing," Anderson said.
     Access to public accommodations has been one of the most 
important gains of the ADA, several people said.   Graham Sisson 
is an attorney who needs access to the court
house in Birmingham. "Thanks to the ADA," he said, "the building 
is now equipped with a ramp and an automatic door." Sisson, a 
wheelchair user and the former Alabama ADA Coordinator, also 
credits the ADA with making restaurants and places of 
entertainment more accessible. "Restaurant tables are high enough 
for wheelchairs to go under and are usually spaced correctly," he 
says, "and movie theaters have removed some seats to make room 
for wheelchairs." 
     The University of Alabama at Birmingham accommodated Cheryl 
Bullock's love of swimming. "When I repeatedly asked for a 
wheelchair lift at the campus pool," she said, "I was given every 
excuse in the book." Finally her request made it to the highest 
levels of the campus administration where a vice-president's 
reaction was, "If there's no money for a lift, we'll just have to 
do without the landscaping." Bullock (and other wheelchair users) 
got the lift.
    
Common Threads

The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers:
        Many people with disabilities make daily use of the ADA.
        People with disabilities feel empowered, and their 
        self-esteem has improved.
        Attitudes among the public have changed a great deal--for 
        the better.


                  NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
                  50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                       ALASKA SUMMARY REPORT
                APRIL 25, 1995


Host organization: Alaska ADA Partners Project
NCD Staff: Billie Jean Hill

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in Alaska?

     Alaskans gathered at their ADA Town Meeting to tell NCD 
about the positive changes the ADA has made in their lives. 
Travel and recreation were the leading categories of beneficial 
change people addressed, followed by improvements in public 
accommodations and increased employment opportunities.  Getting 
from airports to hotels before the ADA was an expensive chore for 
Duane French. "If I wanted to go to a hotel, I had to make 
special arrangements in advance to find a shuttle bus or van that 
was equipped with a wheelchair lift," said French. "It cost me 
$50-$75 just to get to a hotel." But today  it is different. "Now 
most hotels that provide transportation from the airport have a 
lift-equipped van," French explained.
     A state known for its outdoor recreational opportunities, 
Alaska is also the site of expanded outdoor activities for people 
with disabilities. Natasha Smith, an Anchorage high school 
student who uses a wheelchair, described a fishing trip she took 
last summer on Alaska's Russian River. In Smith's group were 
several wheelchair users, as well as an individual with a hearing 
impairment. "We really had fun," Smith recalled. Her group took a 
ferry across the river, and then fished at the water's edge. "And 
I was the first person to catch a fish!" she said.
     "Two accessible fishing and dock facilities are being built 
this summer on the Kenai Peninsula," related Jim Beck of Alaska 
ADA Partners Project. "And it is because of the
ADA that they are being designed to be accessible," he said. Beck 
also told those present that he knows a man who made his fishing 
boat accessible. "There were so many people with disabilities who 
wanted to go out on his boat," said Beck, "that he realized 
making his vessel accessible meant more business." 
     The Alaska travel industry is also realizing that 
accessibility can increase tourism, according to Rebecca Campbell 
of Access Alaska. She reported that the rail division of a major 
tour company has just added four new wheelchair lifts to its 
trains for this year's tourist season. 
     Businesses of all sorts throughout the state are discovering 
that accessibility is good for business, explained Patrick 
Reinhart  of the state Independent Living Council. "A lot of 
businesses have benefited from making their facilities 
accessible, and that's an impetus for other businesses to make 
changes as well," he said. 
     And while many in business are fearful that they will be 
liable for something they did not even know about 20-30 years 
ago, "once they understand the ADA, their fears are alleviated," 
stated Mary Elizabeth Rider, a planner for the Governor's Council 
on Disabilities and Special Education. "It's a pleasure to see 
their worry turn to relief when they realize that a ramp will 
cost them only $200, not $3,000," Rider said.
     Indeed, public accommodations of all kinds are being made 
accessible, said several individuals. The climate of awareness 
that the ADA has helped to create played a role in the outcome in 
a lawsuit regarding accessibility of the Alaska Performing Arts 
Center, explained Earl Fullingim, Executive Director of Barrier 
Free Alaska. The subject of controversy for more than a decade, 
the Center offered very little auditorium seating for people in 
wheelchairs, and that limited seating was all in the back. The 
judge, said Fullingim, ruled that the Center had to increase the 
quantity of accessible seating. And furthermore, the accessible 
seating had to be interspersed throughout the auditorium, not 
relegated to the back. "The judge wouldn't have made such a 
ruling if it hadn't been for the ADA," said Fullingim.
     Some business owners are eager to do what they can to 
accommodate customers with disabilities, several said. John 
Woodward described his conversations with individual store owners 
in an Anchorage mall. "All of them agreed that the mall should 
have an accessible
entrance," stated Woodward. "They said that people with 
disabilities bring a lot of money into the stores." Besides, 
"non-disabled people often prefer using ramps to stairs anyway," 
pointed out Rick Tassandore of the Disability Law Center. 
Clearly, ramps and curb cuts are better, not only for people with 
disabilities but for many of the non-disabled as well--parents 
pushing strollers, bicyclists, people with injuries, and elderly 
people.
     In addition to travel and recreation and public 
accommodations, the ADA has also made a difference in employment 
for people with disabilities, several said. "Ten years ago I had 
to lie about my hearing impairment on job applications," said 
Virginia Cumming of the Alaska Alliance for the Mentally Ill. 
"Now I don't have to lie, and I can even get reasonable 
accommodations."
     One woman who missed a month of work as a result of a severe 
anxiety attack, would not have been taken back by her employer if 
it were not for the ADA, stated Janel Wright of the Disability 
Law Center of Alaska. "When we explained the ADA and reasonable 
accommodation to the employer," said Wright, "they realized they 
had a responsibility under the ADA." And Gretchen Collier, a 
social service worker, summed up simply what many people with 
disabilities have said, "without the ADA I wouldn't have a job."

Common Threads

The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers:
        Service dogs are now allowed in taxis.
        The relay service has opened up a whole new world of 
        communication to deaf people.

        Outdoor recreational opportunities are expanding for 
        people with disabilities.

        Many businesses are seeing that compliance with the ADA 
        means access to customers formerly shut out of their 
        establishments.
        
        Explaining the ADA--its purpose, the minimal nature of 
        most accommodations, and the availability of tax credits 
        for alterations--can usually bring about compliance 
        faster and less expensively than taking legal action. 


                  NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
                  50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                      ARIZONA SUMMARY REPORT
                  MAY 6, 1995


Host organization: Arizona Office for Americans with Disabilities
NCD Member: Larry Brown

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in Arizona?

     Arizonans gathered to let NCD know that the ADA has made a 
difference in the lives of many people in their state. In 
employment, travel, public accommodations, and government 
services, the ADA has had a positive impact. And especially 
important, according to many, are the growth in empowerment and 
self-esteem among people with disabilities themselves.
     Susan Webb, Executive Director of Arizona Bridge to 
Independent Living (ABIL), described a new employment program her 
organization has launched. "ABIL is partnering with temporary 
agencies and employers to place people with disabilities in 
temporary jobs," she explained. More than 100 individuals have 
been placed, many of whom have not worked for 25 years. 
"Employers are more aware that people with disabilities are a 
really good resource," Webb said, "but I don't believe it would 
have happened without Title I of the ADA." Webb further explained 
that her clients are working side by side with non-disabled peers 
in an integrated, competitive work environment and earning the 
same wages for the same jobs. 
     The employment application process has become easier for 
some people with disabilities, thanks to the ADA. Denise Thompson 
commented, in written testimony that "it has been great to have 
extra time if needed to fill out applications and/or receive the 
appropriate assistance." Thompson related one instance in which a 
potential employer
brailled a required test for her. "This type of accommodation 
would not have happened without the ADA," she wrote.
     The ADA is also helping people with disabilities who are 
already employed to know that they may be eligible for certain 
accommodations to facilitate their work. Michele Martinez, in 
charge of implementing the ADA for the city of Phoenix, explained 
that in the workplace ADA trainings she has done, "numerous 
employees come up and tell me they have a disability, and that 
they had no idea that accommodations are available to them under 
the ADA." They just did without, but now they know what is 
possible, she explained.
     Traveling is much easier for people with disabilities than 
it was a few years ago. Todd Kimball, who hosts a weekly radio 
program about disabilities broadcast in several Arizona cities, 
commented that major strides have been made in long distance 
travel. "Five years ago people with disabilities couldn't travel 
across the country," he said. "We were afraid to travel to other 
cities because we didn't know what we'd find accessible once we 
got there." But today it is different, Kimball believes. He says 
that one can usually count on accessible rooms at major hotel 
chains. "And you can be pretty sure you'll find accessible bus 
service in other cities too," he said.
     Local transportation has improved as well, but much work 
remains to be done, several said. Some commented that public 
transportation is sorely lacking in Arizona for non-disbled and 
disabled people alike, although the ADA has brought improvements.  
Almost everything was inaccessible, and "people just assumed that 
was the way it was" explained Donna Redford. Redford added that 
she has seen bus drivers learn to help people with disabilities 
board the bus safely, while still keeping to their schedule.
     Work and transportation are essential parts of life. But 
leisure activities must not be overlooked in their contribution 
to a total human life. In Arizona the ADA has helped open sports 
and recreation to people with disabilities. Guerry Dalrymple is 
the Secretary/Treasurer of the Coalition for the Promotion of 
Accessible Outdoor Recreation, and he finds outdoor recreational 
activities much more accessible than they were before the ADA. 
"When we do camping trips now, we're not limited to where we can 
go," he said. "A lot of campgrounds--public and private--have 
accessible picnic tables and accessible tent pads
and fire rings. And some even have accessible showers and 
restrooms," he said. Dalrymple can appreciate this access because 
he remembers making  reservations before the ADA and being asked 
who would be coming along to take care of the "handicapped" 
people.
     Dalrymple's favorite outdoor sport is hunting. "Now when I 
call a hunting guide service, there's no long pause when I say I 
have a disability," explains Dalrymple. "Now I hear 'no 
problem--just tell me what you need.'" Dalrymple also explained 
that when he goes into a sporting goods store these days he 
doesn't have to explain that yes he does actually shoot a bow and 
arrow, rifle, etc. And Dalrymple attributes these changes to the 
ADA. "The ADA is what we have to thank in the area of 
recreation," he said. "And it's not because everyone is afraid of 
being sued. The reason ADA has been successful is that people 
like me have been empowered by the ADA, and we realize we can go 
out and do things." Dalrymple believes that attitudes of 
campground managers, sport store owners, and others have changed 
because people with disabilities have become a visible presence 
in a number of outdoor sports. 
     Other forms of recreation are also becoming more accessible 
as a result of the ADA. "Theaters are getting better," remarked 
an unidentified speaker, "and it's because the owners are being 
educated by people with disabilities who know they have a right 
to go to the theater and sit with their friends."  The speaker 
related an incident about a woman who got locked into a mall 
because the movie she was watching ended late, and the only 
accessible exit from the mall had been locked. A regular door was 
still unlocked, but she could not access it. The situation was 
brought to the attention of the mall manager, with the result 
that when a regular mall door is unlocked, an accessible door is 
also left unlocked.
     While many barriers have been removed in the private sector, 
local and state governments are also getting rid of barriers. The 
city of Phoenix gets positive reviews from Donna Redford for its 
quick action in making curb cuts whenever they hear from a 
consumer that a cut is needed at a particular site. "Some Arizona 
communities," she added, "are using their block grant funds to do 
things like get their parks, restrooms, accessways, and sidewalks 
accessible, and to make sure they put in curb cuts throughout the 
city," she explained.
     Positive changes are also taking place at the state level. 
Susan Webb told the Town Meeting about how the state's 
discriminatory policy toward drivers with disabilities was 
altered. "Until recently," Webb began, "a person with a 
disability who wanted to get a driver's license renewed could be 
required to take a road test and might even be required to get a 
doctor's written statement that he or she was qualified to 
drive." Webb and others with disabilities persuaded their state 
government that having a disability is different from taking 
medications. The policy of requiring more of some renewing 
drivers than others was dropped. "It was the ADA that gave us the 
tool to represent ourselves in a positive, informed, 
professional, forthright and successful way," stated Webb. "The 
ADA works."
     One important reason Webb and her group were able to use the 
ADA so effectively is that it has reshaped the way many people 
with disabilities feel about themselves. Donna Redford has 
noticed a change in the calls she gets at the independent living 
center where she works. "Callers used to tell us to do something 
about a particular inaccessible site," she said. "Now they call 
and ask for advice as to what they should do to advocate for 
themselves!"
     While the ADA is reaching many with its hopeful message, and 
the tangible evidence of the law's success is growing, more work 
remains to be done to make sure minorities know about and have 
the opportunity to make use of the Act. Michele Martinez told NCD 
that people of color in her area have heard about the ADA, but 
that many don't know it applies to them. Many Hispanic Americans, 
she continued, are distrustful of government and consequently are 
unlikely to seek help in making use of the ADA.


Common Threads

The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers:
        The ADA has given people with disabilities hope to 
        continue in their job search or to challenge terminations 
        that are based on disability prejudice.
        
        Employers are more receptive to hiring people with 
        disabilities and are more sensitive to employees with 
        disabilities.
        
        People with disabilities are seeing themselves 
        differently--with greater self-esteem and self 
        confidence.
        
        While public transportation in Arizona is very limited 
        for everyone, there have been improvements in 
        paratransit. 


                  NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
                  50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                      ARKANSAS STATE SUMMARY
               FEBRUARY 21, 1995


Host organizations: Arkansas Department of Health/Office of 
Prevention, Arkansas ADA Roundtable
NCD Member: Mary Raether

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in Arkansas?

     Those who testified in Little Rock expressed great 
enthusiasm for the ADA. "The ADA has removed barriers to public 
transportation, employment, public services, and telecommuni- 
cations--barriers that have cost us economically and socially," 
stated Dale Kennedy, who has multiple sclerosis and serves on the 
board of the Arkansas chapter of the National MS Society. 
     Improvements in transportation drew praise from a number of 
speakers. "We had paratransit before the ADA," explained Bonnie 
Johnson of the Arkansas Disability Coalition, "but it was on a 
charitable basis, which meant transportation was available only 
when there was money to fund it." Johnson likes the 
transportation guidelines established by the ADA, and her group 
works with Central Arkansas Transit in Little Rock to make sure 
the system meets the needs of people with disabilities. Now 
people can use paratransit without first having to declare where 
they are going, Johnson explained. Before ADA, when service was 
so limited, people with disabilities were served on a priority 
basis. In other words, those going shopping or to visit friends 
could be bumped in favor of someone else making a doctor visit. 
Since the ADA, Johnson went on, any community that provides 
public transportation must equally serve people with disabilities 
who live within the service area.
"We do quarterly customer surveys," said Johnson, "and we hear 
lots of stories about how people are helped by paratransit.
     One of the chief benefits of increased access to 
transportation is that people with disabilities can get to work. 
And access to employment has clearly increased since the ADA went 
into effect. "The ADA is important to me," said Anthony Manyard, 
who works with the Arkansas Disabilities Coalition, "because it 
has helped me pursue my career goals." Manyard has a visual 
impairment and fallen arches. 
     Reasonable accommodations on the job are also much more 
readily available than they were before the ADA. One unidentified 
speaker reported that in the building where he works there was 
just one accessible bathroom. It was on the first floor, although 
he worked on the fourth floor."  But there was someone else in 
the building for whom even the first floor bathroom wasn't 
accessible." He complained, and "then all the bathrooms on all 
four floors were remodeled for accessibility," the man stated. 
     Another area where the ADA has made a difference is in 
people's attitudes. Several commented that public perceptions of 
people with disabilities have changed greatly for the better. 
Partly because of this increased awareness, "there are more 
sports opportunities available to people with disabilities now," 
said John Gould, who works with the Arkansas Spinal Cord 
Commission. An athlete, Gould suffered a spinal cord injury less 
than a year ago and now uses a wheelchair. And he plays several 
sports competitively. "The expanded access to sporting activities 
for people with disabilities has helped me to deal with my 
injury," he said. "Because of the ADA, I can lead an independent 
life." 
     Not everyone's attitudes have changed, and it is just those 
whose attitudes have not changed who have brought about a 
surprising benefit for Mike Morrissey. A writer who uses a 
wheelchair, Morrissey comments that "the ADA has provided me with 
literary fodder." He finds it funny that people are amazed when 
they see him--a wheelchair user--enjoying himself in a restaurant 
like anyone else or getting into a cab. "I think it's amusing, so 
I write about people's reactions," he says. 
     Morrissey also credits the ADA with providing him with legal 
backing to ask for the modifications he needs to function in 
society. "The ADA gives me the confidence to know
that if I'm not getting my civil rights, I have somewhere to go." 
Morrissey added that he has become more assertive since the ADA 
went into effect.
     Several people with hearing impairments told about the 
impact the ADA has had on their lives. "I was the first hearing 
impaired juror in Arkansas," said Ann Garner with pride. In the 
past, she explained, people with hearing impairments were kept 
off juries because "an interpreter might distract other jurors." 
"Before the ADA I often advocated," she said, "but I often got 
nowhere. With the ADA behind me though, I am much more 
successful."
     Gwen Winston, who is hearing impaired, in addition to having 
multiple sclerosis, appreciatively explained that hospital stays 
have been made much easier. "My patient chart says clearly that I 
am hearing impaired, so my room is always set up with an 
amplified phone and captioned TV," she said.
     An unidentified woman, who had never used the telephone in 
her life, is excited about the relay service. "Now I can talk on 
the phone all I want. I can gossip all night with my daughters if 
I want to," she said. This woman also credits the ADA with 
helping her to change her life of dependency into one of 
independence. Since the ADA has been enacted, she told those 
present, she went back to school, made straight As, and got her 
degree in deaf education. She plans to go on to graduate school.
     Sandra Brent, who walks with braces on both legs, summed up 
the ADA this way: "The ADA is fantastic. I can go out and 
participate. The ADA makes me feel like I'm one of the gang."









Common Threads

The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers:
     Many people with disabilities no longer feel like second 
     class citizens.
     Many people with disabilities feel empowered and are better 
     able to ask for needed accommodations than they were before 
     the ADA.
        
     Improvements in transportation have been steady and 
     impressive. As a result, many more people are able to get 
     around independently.
        
     Attitudes of non-disabled people toward people with 
     disabilities has improved.


                  NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
                  50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                     CALIFORNIA SUMMARY REPORT
                 MARCH 1, 1995


Host organizations: Westside Center for Independent Living and 
the Governor's Committee for Employment of Disabled Persons
NCD Member: Mary Raether

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in California?

     Californians spoke with enthusiasm about the ADA. The 
transportation provisions were the most frequently cited benefit 
of the law, but people also addressed expanded employment 
opportunities and the opening up of the world for people with 
hearing impairments.
     Improved public transportation has greatly increased access 
to a wide variety of activities. "The main way the ADA helps me 
is in transportation," said Sylvia Pryzwiecki, who uses a 
wheelchair. "With improved transportation I am able to get out 
further into the county, to be with my peers, and attend events 
like this hearing." 
     "The transportation part of the ADA is changing my life," 
reports Christina Keefer of Los Angeles. "I can visit my 88 year 
old dad, swim, and go to the library, all because of  
transportation called for in the ADA," she said. Keefer also 
acknowledges that she would not have been able to accept her 
position as President of the Westside Center for Independent 
Living if it were not for accessible transportation. The changes 
in transportation that are allowing more people to get out of 
their homes and into the world are also contributing to the 
growing public awareness of people with disabilities, Keefer 
believes.
     Armentres Ramsay agrees that the transportation provisions 
of the ADA are vital. "I'd be lost for a way to get to meetings 
if the ADA hadn't passed," he said. Ramsay, a wheelchair user, 
also takes paratransit to shopping and doctors' appointments.
     "Because of paratransit I can give back to society by 
participating in city council meetings," stated Pro Se, who uses 
a wheelchair. "Paratransit is a blessing," he said, "and I 
greatly appreciate it."
     In written testimony, James Ramsey stated that the ADA has 
helped him live a happier, fuller life, partly because of better 
transportation. "Bus lifts are a great help to me," wrote Ramsey. 
"I can get around better and do more. I am 63 years old, still 
active and participating and living a more normal life than I 
could without the ADA," he wrote.
     David Wolf, who serves on a transportation advisory 
committee in Los Angeles, told those present that the County 
Board of Supervisors had said that the comprehensive 
transit/paratransit system being developed would be completed 
this summer--18 months ahead of schedule. "The ADA gets people to 
look at populations not adequately served," said Wolf, who is 
blind. 
     For most people with disabilities, finding appropriate 
employment is much more difficult than it is for others. Thanks 
to the ADA, many Californians said, their opportunity to obtain 
work for which they qualify has increased. Elizabeth Pazdral, who 
has cerebral palsy, has been employed for many years. "But it has 
been much easier since the ADA," she says. As a legal secretary, 
she needs access to files, and employers have accommodated her by 
setting up horizontal, rather than vertical, filing cabinets. 
"Employers are pleased to find that the things I need are very 
inexpensive," says Pazdral. Pazdral also cited an annual survey 
of employers conducted by the Cerebral Palsy Foundation. "The 
Foundation," she said, "has found that most reasonable 
accommodations cost less than $500." Pazdral believes the 
employment provisions of the ADA are important because they allow 
people with disabilities to become financially independent, 
contributing members of society, rather than the recipients of 
government funds. 
     Laura Schultz, who has systemic lupus erythematosis, is a 
marriage and child counselor. "Employers used to think I was 
feigning illness," she said. "With the ADA,
though, I've been able to work with my employer to arrange a 
flexible schedule. If I'm fatigued or ill, I can adjust my hours 
so I can rest."
     Some employers have long been willing to employ people with 
disabilities. For such companies, the ADA serves as a guidepost 
in their efforts. Tad Childs, Director of IBM's Workforce 
Diversity Program, sent a letter to the Town Meeting in which he 
wrote that the ADA has brought the concept of 'essential 
functions' to his company's attention. "We wanted to be sure we 
complied with this landmark legislation," he wrote, and stated 
that IBM has altered its policies on applicant inquiries and 
medical exams to comply with the law. Childs also wrote that IBM 
has developed a comprehensive ADA training program for all its 
managers, and that all line managers are trained to deal with 
disabilities on a daily basis. "We hire talented people with 
skills and potential who happen to have disabilities," Childs 
wrote. "Full and equal access is at the heart of the ADA."
     Not only has the ADA contributed to people's successes in 
finding employment, but it has provided recourse to people who 
have been discriminated against in employment. Brian Hearn is a 
30 year old with a lifelong visual impairment. But his impairment 
did not stop him from working successfully as a heavy equipment 
operator for years. Even though he was told he had a unique feel 
for the equipment and was hired for one job over more than 30 
other applicants, he was fired when upper management found out 
about his impairment. Hearn learned about the ADA and filed a 
complaint against his former employer. "The case is not yet 
resolved, but the ADA has given me the recourse to fight against 
being fired unfairly," says Hearn. He describes the ADA as "a ray 
of hope for many."
     The ADA's accessibility requirements in public 
accommodations and telecommunications have had a significant 
impact on people with hearing impairments, as a number of 
Californians described. Senior citizens and many others have 
benefited from the assisted listening systems now available at 
the Culver City community center, according to Camille Jones, 
Coordinator of Disability Services for Culver City. "We get 15-20 
requests every day for assisted listening systems from people who 
attend lectures and participate in groups at the center," said 
Jones. Jones described a bereavement group at the center, at 
which some participants had never expressed any emotion. "But 
once the listening devices
were in use, people cried, gave and sought support, and their 
participation in the group was transformed," she said. With 
hearing impairments so common among older people, Jones said, 
access to listening devices opens up many activities previously 
denied to seniors.
     Grace Tiessen is another hearing-impaired person who has 
benefited from the ADA. "In 1991 my employer bought an assisted 
listening device, so I could participate in meetings and 
workshops," she said. "When they updated the phone system, each 
telephone was hearing aid-compatible and equipped with volume 
control," she went on. "Before that I had to bring in my own 
phone from home, and that was the only one I could use."  Tiessen 
says her social life has improved with the passage of the ADA. 
"For the first time I can go to movies with friends. And the 
Pasadena senior center just got FM assisted listening devices, so 
I plan to start going." Tiessen had never participated in senior 
center activities before because she couldn't understand what was 
going on. Tiessen also reported that when she travels, she asks 
tour guides to wear an FM transmitter, and she wears the 
receiver, so that she can hear what the guide is describing.
     Finally, Richard Hester, whose parents were deaf, expressed 
great enthusiasm for the ADA. "When my parents were living, there 
was no relay service or closed captioning," he said. "It's 
exciting to see that deaf people are able to live independently, 
thanks to the ADA."

Common Threads

The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers:
        Attitudes are changing toward disabilities, resulting in 
        more respectful treatment of people with disabilities.
        
        Section 504 and other preexisting civil rights laws for 
        people with disabilities are finally being enforced now 
        that the ADA is in effect.
        
        Local and intercity travel have become much more 
        available to people with disabilities.
        
        The ADA provides legal recourse for people with 
        disabilities who are discriminated against in employment.
        
        The relay service has allowed people with hearing 
        impairments to participate in society as never before. 
        
        Senior citizens benefit from curb cuts, assisted 
        listening devices, and other changes that the ADA has 
        brought.


                  NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
                  50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                      COLORADO SUMMARY REPORT
                 MAY 26, 1995


Host organization: ADAPT
NCD Staff: Billie Jean Hill

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in Colorado?

     Colorado residents came to their Town Meeting to tell NCD 
that the ADA is working for them. It has made a difference in 
their lives in a variety of ways. Some speakers addressed their 
improved ability to travel, while others cited better access to 
employment.  The ADA aids in the enforcement of other valuable 
legislation, and certain communities have made access to all 
citizens a high priority. Businesses are beginning to open their 
doors to people with disabilities. 
     Local transportation is also better, now that the ADA is in 
effect. Says Latanya Reeves, "The most valuable thing about the 
ADA to me is that I can get to and from where I want to go on the 
bus. The ADA means a lot to me." Peter Splaine, of the Colorado 
Cross Disabilities Coalition, spoke for many when he said, "Now 
there is a freedom to go places. I applaud the ADA!"
     With very high unemployment among people with disabilities, 
the ADA's employment provisions are hailed by many. Especially 
valuable in helping people with disabilities to become taxpayers 
is the 'reasonable accommodation' provision. Penny Ford commented 
that a young man with cerebral palsy works in her office. "He 
makes use of ADAPT's program to make available onsite job 
supports," she said. "This program allows him to work 
productively in our office," she said.
     The ADA's protections go beyond the specifics spelled out in 
the legislation. Les Reed, the father of a child with a 
disability, told a story about another family who used the ADA to 
win access to a school activity that should not have been denied 
their child under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 
(IDEA). "The ADA can leverage compliance where more traditional 
remedies under IDEA aren't effective in the school arena," stated 
Reed.
     Several Coloradans spoke about the willingness of certain 
municipalities to implement the ADA. "Vail has gone far beyond 
the ADA," explained Mark Simon. He pointed out that Vail is one 
of the few towns in the state that requires businesses to comply 
with the ADA in order to get a building permit. Simon cites a 
large ski operator, Vail Associates, as the impetus behind the 
city's commitment to access. "This business resisted compliance 
for a long time," he said, "and then they realized compliance can 
be profitable. Their policy now," said Simon, "is not to comply 
with the ADA but to do whatever it takes to serve its customers."
     Boulder also was praised for its commitment to access. "The 
city has really taken accessibility to heart," says Bruce Gougen. 
"I can pile my three kids onto my wheelchair," he said, "and we 
go exploring all over the city. Gougen said that when an 
inaccessible site is brought to the attention of city 
authorities, "they get on it right away."
     The state government has made a very important move toward 
accessibility. Robin Stephens of ADAPT told about the request she 
and others made of the state's lottery commission. They asked 
that ADA compliance be made a requirement for the more than 2,600 
stores in the state that sell lottery tickets. "The commission 
passed the rule!" she told those assembled.
     Indeed, public accommodations of all sorts have become more 
accessible. Even a relatively small thing like an accessible 
coffee shop can make a major difference. Latanya Reeves described 
a newly accessible coffee shop in her neighborhood which now 
gives her a place, other than her home, where she can meet 
friends.     
     Penny Ford described her pleasure, as a mother of a child 
with cerebral palsy, at being able to take her son to a baseball 
game at the new Coors Field. "Even when the people
in front of him stood up and blocked his view," she said, "he 
could still see the field by watching a TV that was mounted 
nearby." Such places are very welcome, according to Ford, who 
explained that it is difficult for parents to provide accessible 
activities in the community that their children with disabilities 
can enjoy.
     Perhaps children's perspectives on disabilities should be 
taken more into account. John Roberts of the Rocky Mountain 
Disability and Business Technical Assistance Center related an 
experience he had. "I was eating in a Walgreen's restaurant, and 
the little girl in the next booth kept turning around and staring 
at me," he said. "Then she walked by me to the bathroom, staring 
all the while," he said. "On her way back she stopped and asked 
me what was wrong with me, and I explained that I fell down and 
broke my back, so I can't walk." Then Roberts heard the girl tell 
her mother, "See, Mom, I told you there's nothing wrong with 
him."

Common Threads

The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers:
        A variety of public accommodations have been made 
        accessible--stores, restaurants, ball fields, airports, 
        and much more.
        
        Transportation has become much more available to people 
        with disabilities--local and long distance travel alike.
        
        Some cities have gone to great lengths to make their 
        services accessible to all citizens.
        
        People without disabilities are much more likely now to 
        treat people with disabilities as human beings.



                  NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
                  50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                    CONNECTICUT SUMMARY REPORT
                MARCH 29, 1995


Host organization: Independence Unlimited, Inc.
NCD Member: Mary Raether

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in Connecticut?

     Connecticut citizens gathered to recount their successes in 
using the ADA to gain access to employment, public 
accommodations, and transportation. 
     Because the ADA provides for 'reasonable accommodation' in 
the workplace, many individuals with disabilities have been able 
to put their skills and talents to work. Marcia Smith-Glasper is 
one person who is contributing, thanks to the 'reasonable 
accommodation' provision. "I'm a minority with a disability and 
the parent of a child with a disability," says Smith-Glasper, who 
is also the ADA Coordinator at the Connecticut Department of 
Labor. Smith-Glasper credits the ADA with making it possible for 
her to take the time she needs to go to physical therapy to treat 
her disability. And her 13 year old daughter has sickle cell 
anemia, "but we didn't know her rights until about two years 
ago," Smith-Glasper recalls. Smith-Glasper can take time off work 
if necessary when her daughter is in the hospital. And 
Smith-Glasper says she looks forward to the day when her daughter 
goes to work. "By then I expect most employers will know the ADA 
well and will be accommodating," she said. "I am proud to be an 
advocate of the ADA."
     The 'reasonable accommodation' provision has also been a 
help to Ann Walton. Walton has diabetes but was at stroke level 
by the time the disease was diagnosed. "I didn't know I could get 
reasonable accommodation, so I went to work every day, in spite 
of my high sugar level and severe weight loss. Now I know my 
basic rights," she says. At work
Walton is not afraid to say she is tired and needs to shut her 
office door and rest. "And I can ask my secretary to help me if 
necessary, without fear of losing my job," said Walton.
     Having access to an interpreter in the workplace can make an 
immeasurable difference to people who are hearing impaired. Nan 
Geissler, of Independence Unlimited, Inc. (IUI), told a story 
about a deaf woman who was concerned that she was not advancing 
in her company. The woman wanted to meet with her supervisor, 
along with a representative from IU, with an interpreter present. 
The supervisor grudgingly agreed, and what came out of the 
meeting was eye opening for everyone present. It was apparent to 
Geissler that the woman was not trained well in the use of her 
equipment and did not know how to apply for another job. "She 
didn't even realize she had gotten a promotion," said Geissler. 
"Nor could she communicate well with other workers." When the 
supervisor realized how much her employee was missing, changes 
were made to make sure the woman knew about and was part of what 
was going on in the office. "The situation was resolved well," 
said Geissler, "but it wouldn't have been if it weren't for the 
ADA."
     No less important than employment is the impact the ADA has 
had on public accommodations--for the better, according to those 
who spoke at the Town Meeting. Sue LaChance, a peer counselor 
with the Disabilities Network of Eastern Connecticut, described 
the success she and others had in getting a shopping area to put 
in some ramps. Mystic Village, a shopping complex with individual 
stores designed in an old seafaring motif in keeping with the 
historic Mystic Seaport nearby, was completely inaccessible. 
Almost all of the stores in the complex were inaccessible, 
despite advertising claims that the complex was accessible. "We 
asked store owners to build ramps, but they wouldn't have 
anything to do with us," related LaChance. "Even our lawyer got 
nowhere with the merchants until he cited the ADA," she said. Now 
Mystic Village is building ramps to all its stores and is making 
bathrooms accessible as well. "It's nice to finally be able to go 
to Mystic Village just like anyone else," said LaChance.
     Some businesses have been eager to open up to customers with 
disabilities, several said. Juliet Meyer praised many store 
owners in Norwalk for their efforts to offer access to people 
with disabilities. For example, "the Pepperidge Farm Thrift Store 
widened its aisles
and put up signs outside that say, 'If you need help, honk and 
we'll come out and help you.'" Meyer cited several outlet stores 
that have created accessible fitting rooms for customers.
     Access to public telephones for the hard of hearing mean a 
lot to Mark Galucc, Executive Director of the Greater New Haven 
Disability Rights Activists Center For Independence and Access. 
He described a pre-ADA experience that could not happen today. 
Galucc was driving his car when a torrential rainstorm broke out. 
The road became flooded, and his car stalled. There was no place 
to move the car, so he walked to a nearby gas station. "There was 
no hearing aid-compatible phone and no phone with a 
volume-raising switch, so I tried to explain my situation to the 
manager and get him to call my family or the police or a tow 
truck for me," recounted Galucc. "The owner refused to help. His 
young assistant even sneaked outside to make the call and was 
promptly fired," said Galucc. Finally Galucc called his brother 
and just hoped that his brother was listening. "Today none of 
that would have happened," said Galucc. "With the ADA I can use a 
public phone instead of being at the mercy of others in an 
emergency," he said.
     Shirley Krassner described another valuable public 
accommodation. She knows an elderly deaf man who wanted to attend 
library board meetings. But he couldn't follow what was being 
said. The library then installed computer-aided real time 
reporting, which allows the man, and other deaf persons, to read 
others' remarks just seconds after they are made.
     Barbara Monty, Chair of the Capital Statewide Independent 
Living Council, told of her long-term effort to ensure that the 
items in her local grocery store were accessible. Once when she 
was in the store, she noticed that the dog food, which she buys 
regularly for her two large dogs, was being moved from the bottom 
shelf, where she had had no trouble reaching it from her power 
wheelchair. It was being put into a huge stack, from which cans 
could only be removed from the top. Monty expressed her need to 
be able to reach for the cans at chair level, but she was 
ignored. She kept requesting the cans' location be changed but 
continued to be ignored. "Finally," she said, "I called the 
store's central office and explained what the ADA requires. The 
cans were moved."
     No less important than access to public accommodations is 
the transportation to get to them. And real strides are being 
made in expanding accessible public transportation. Before 
paratransit came to her town, Lauren Esposito had to carefully 
husband her money for cab fares, limiting trips to only her 
essential errands. "I was a prisoner in my own home," she said, 
"so I advocated for paratransit." Esposito wrote articles and 
letters in the local paper and communicated with local officials. 
"Then came the news that paratransit would begin. I was so 
excited!" she said. "And I felt so proud zipping around the 
stores in my wheelchair making my purchases," she exclaimed.

Common Threads

The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers:
        Many stores and other businesses have become accessible 
        to people with disabilities.
        
        When people with disabilities advocate for their own 
        needs, those needs are more likely to be met than they 
        were in the pre-ADA years.
        
        The concept of 'reasonable accommodation' has allowed 
        people with disabilities to keep jobs they might have 
        otherwise lost due to their disabilities.
        
        The public is much more receptive to and comfortable with 
        people who have disabilities.


                  NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
                  50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                      DELAWARE SUMMARY REPORT
                 MARCH 2, 1995


Host organization: Governor's Committee on Employment of People 
with Disabilities
NCD Member: Larry Brown

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in Delaware?

     The ADA has been important in the lives of many of 
Delaware's citizens, a number of individuals told NCD. Employment 
was the area most often cited in which important gains have been 
made. But people also addressed gains in the areas of public 
accommodation and transportation, as well as the new access 
enjoyed by people with hearing impairments to a variety of 
activities that hearing people take for granted.
     "Some employers in Delaware go beyond the requirements of 
the ADA because they find that qualified disabled workers provide 
a dependable workforce," commented Diane Treacy, Executive 
Director of the Governor's Committee on Employment of People with 
Disabilities. Indeed, Peggy Eddens, Vice-President of Human 
Resources at Mellon Bank tells was quoted in a Delaware 
Department of Labor press release describing people with 
disabilities as "good workers for Mellon Bank." Mellon Bank was 
the Governor's Committee's 'Employer of the Year' in 1993.
     Treacy cited two examples of individuals with disabilities 
for whom the ADA has made an important difference. One woman, 
according to Treacy, had been told by her doctor not to work 
longer than eight hours at a stretch because of an earlier back 
injury. But "the employer advised that she must work 12 hour 
shifts or be terminated," stated Treacy. "She followed the 
process of a memo and was delighted to retain her job and still 
stay on an eight hour shift," explained Treacy.
     Treacy's other example was a woman who was being asked by 
her employer to provide justification every time she used medical 
leave to keep appointments with a therapist. "She presented a 
memo from a psychiatrist documenting her disability," Treacy 
explained, "and flexible hours were arranged."
     In Treacy's own case, her employer--the state of 
Delaware--modified a restroom and the fire evacuation process, 
and also provided designated parking for her.
     One speaker, Professor Osgood, related his mentally retarded 
daughter's positive employment experience. Before the ADA, Osgood 
explained, her work schedule was reduced, and she was finally 
fired "because customers gave her a hard time." But now she is 
successfully employed at a Super 8 motel. 
     Another way in which the ADA helps people with disabilities 
in employment is by creating a supportive climate, according to 
Linda Helby, a planner for the Division of Aging and Disability. 
"The ADA has led to creative solutions," she said, for keeping 
qualified employees with disabilities on the job.
     When it comes to public accommodations, Delaware citizens 
with disabilities are better off than they were before the ADA. 
Larry Field, a consultant on ADA building standards, commented 
that large companies like Wal-Mart and Dupont are complying with 
the ADA. He believes that some large companies have found access 
to be a marketing advantage and cited Exxon's signs at gas 
stations inviting drivers who need assistance to honk their horn.
     Larry Henderson, the director of an independent living 
center, agrees that larger companies are doing a good job of 
complying with the ADA. "Supermarkets have become much more 
accessible to shoppers with disabilities," he observed.
     One group who appear to have benefited a great deal from the 
ADA are the deaf and hard of hearing. Loretta Sarro, Coordinator 
of the Delaware Office for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing at the 
Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, related her own personal 
experiences. Staying overnight at a hotel has become a different 
experience for Sarro, with the ADA, because she can now request a 
room with TV close captioning, a special smoke detector, TTY, and 
a door knock flasher. Now "I can talk with a friend in town or in
another room," she stated in written testimony, "or call for room 
service at the hotel." Sarro appreciates being able to call first 
before driving to visit a friend in the area. "I do not have to 
go down to the front desk for a question," she writes, and "I can 
be reached at the hotel if there is an emergency."
     Sarro is also pleased with the implementation of the relay 
service. "The telecommunications relay service is a very 
important priority in my life," she writes, "because I can 
contact my family, friends, and businesses such as a bank, 
doctor, etc." Sarro is glad she no longer has to depend on family 
or friends to use the telephone. Now "I can talk with anyone in 
my own words."
     Transportation has improved since the ADA went into effect. 
Professor Osgood related that, thanks to improvements in 
paratransit, his daughter is able to take paratransit to and from 
her job.
     While the ADA has been successful thus far in many areas, 
one area that clearly needs work is outreach to minorities. 
According to Larry Henderson, "minorities are not as aware of the 
ADA as others."

Common Threads

The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers:
        Many qualified workers with disabilities have been able 
        to remain employed through accommodations that have been 
        very inexpensive.
        
        Many large companies have done a good job of complying 
        with the ADA.

                  NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
                  50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                  WASHINGTON, D.C. SUMMARY REPORT
                 JUNE 5, 1995


Host organization: D.C. Center for Independent Living
NCD Member: Marca Bristo, Yerker Andersson, Mary M. Raether

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in Washington, D.C.?

     For many Washingtonians, the ADA has meant important and 
positive changes in their lives. Overwhelmingly, the area of 
greatest benefit has been transportation, according to speakers 
at Washington, D.C.'s Town Meeting. Other areas in which the ADA 
has helped, people said, are employment and services for people 
with hearing impairments. And a number of individuals addressed 
intangible benefits from the ADA that are no less important.
     "The ADA has enabled me to get out of my house," remarked 
Brunilda Batista."Metro Access gives me transportation on a daily 
basis." And Tony Rhodes agreed that "Metro Access is a very good 
service." Luethel Garrison uses Metro Access five days a week. "I 
am so grateful for Metro Access," she exclaimed.
     Angela Vaughn, a client of the D.C. Independent Living 
Center, used Metro Access to get to the Town Meeting and brought 
some neighbors along with her. "I ride Metro Access a lot," she 
said. "It's very important to the handicapped community to have 
these buses running." Vaughn is happy that, with Metro Access, 
she can get out by herself to a doctor's appointment, to visit a 
friend, or do an errand. "I used to have to wait for someone else 
to offer to take me places," she said.
     The Metro train, fixed route buses, and paratransit are all 
used by Jennifer Dodd, who is blind. "I thank God I'm able to 
take Metro train and fixed route buses," she said, "but I'm 
thankful for paratransit. It's good to know it's there when I 
need it." Independence
is very important to Dodd, and she described her apartment 
manager who often comments on how independent Dodd is. "I've 
heard her tell people I'm never home, that I'm always taking the 
bus somewhere," Dodd added. 
     Now that summer is here, Alfredia Young is glad she can take 
public transportation to swimming and other outdoor activities. 
Young also commented that she helps Metro Access do its job by 
calling Metro anytime a driver is unwilling to lower the 
wheelchair lift for her or treats her rudely.
     Improvements in local transportation and long distance 
travel mean greater access to employment. The ADA also addresses 
employment by calling for fairness in hiring and 'reasonable 
accommodations' to enable persons with disabilities to use their 
abilities in the workplace. "Thanks to the ADA," remarked Karen 
Salva, "people with disabilities can enter the workforce more 
easily, and with dignity. The ADA means it's illegal," she added, 
"for the business sector to reject and discriminate against me 
because of my physical and speech disabilities." Although not 
currently employed, Salva looks forward to the day when she has a 
job and can be economically independent, rather than have to 
depend on taxpayers' money.
     Reasonable accommodations have helped George Aguehounde 
fulfill his work responsibilities. Because his disability 
requires him to recline, his employer has secured for him a desk 
and chair that accommodate this need. His employer, the D.C. 
Center for Independent Living, also allows him to work at home on 
rainy or snowy days when getting to work is more difficult than 
usual.
     John O'Rourke of Macfadden & Associates had a chance to 
educate a corporate manager about reasonable accommodation and 
the ADA. O'Rourke told the story of sitting in a bar and talking 
with the man next to him who worked for ITT. The man described an 
employee with a disability who was not performing up to par. 
After hearing the details of the situation, O'Rourke was able to 
suggest some possible accommodations that would be simple and 
inexpensive, yet would enable the employee to perform 
satisfactorily. "When we left," O'Rourke recounted, "the man told 
me, an hour and a half ago I was ready to be in combat with you 
over the ADA. I'd read about the law and didn't think much of it. 
But after our discussion, I wonder why I ever thought that way, 
why I wasn't more perceptive."
     Certainly some of the greatest gains resulting from the ADA 
are those that benefit people with hearing impairments. Tom 
Kober, an advocate for the deaf community from Gallaudet 
University, exclaimed that "the relay is wonderful. Thanks to 
this service, I can call anyone, anywhere, anytime." Kober also 
credits the ADA with making interpreters more readily available. 
"The ADA is a real blessing for the deaf community," he said.
     In addition to the clear benefits the ADA has brought to 
people with disabilities, Linda Strating believes the law paves 
the way for caregivers to do a better job. Working as an 
attendant for eight months gave her a fuller perspective of what 
living with a disability is like, and she is more conscious now 
of some of the barriers the ADA is removing. "Laws like the ADA 
are necessary to get us going," she explained, "but they'll be 
less needed as time goes on."
     Gregory Dugan spoke for many when he pronounced that "the 
ADA has made me feel like a real American!"  He cited former 
President Bush, who signed the ADA into law and stated that "the 
ADA will bring down the shameful wall of exclusion."  And 
finally, "the ADA is not an ending but a beginning. The ADA means 
access to a better life," said Cornell Mersies.

Common Threads

The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers:
        Accessible transportation has increased tremendously, and 
        many, many people are grateful for it.
        
        People with disabilities feel more independent than 
        before the ADA because they can get out of their homes 
        more easily.
        
        Many people with disabilities feel a greater sense of 
        dignity and worth than in the past.
        
        Employment is more available to people with disabilities.

                  NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
                  50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                      FLORIDA SUMMARY REPORT
               FEBRUARY 1, 1995

Host organizations: Abilities of Florida, Business Coalition for 
Americans with Disabilities, and Metro-Dade Disability Services 
and Independent Living
NCD Member: Marca Bristo, Chairperson, presided. All NCD members 
were present.

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in Florida?

     A diverse group of Floridians spoke out about the difference 
the ADA has made in their lives. Many have been helped by the ADA 
in employment, and others spoke of benefits in the areas of 
public accommodations, and benefits to children, minorities, and 
farmworkers. Others described the ADA as a valuable tool people 
with disabilities can use to bring about greater accessibility.
     Angelina Rodriguez , Program Director for the nonprofit 
Spinal Cord Living Assistance Development said "The ADA gives 
people hope that they can compete in the workplace." Before the 
ADA was enacted, Rodriguez explained, her organization worked 
mainly to help people achieve maximum personal independence. 
"Since the ADA came into law," she said, "we have been helping 
our clients get into the workforce.
     "I never thought I'd be able to get a job," remarked Sergio 
Renden, who works for Metro Dade Disabiltiy Services. When he 
came to the United States, he said, he learned about laws and 
rights, but saw nothing for people with disabilties. "Then the 
ADA came, and all doors began opening up. I'm grateful for the 
ADA," he said. "I've had my job for five years and I'm glad to 
contribute to my community."
     Mark Seldon has achieved his career goal in spite of 
discouragement from others. "When I got my master's degree," said 
Seldon, "there were people who said I couldn't be a
social worker, that I was unemployable. The ADA helped me believe 
I could work. Seldon works as a disabilities advocate at a 
private rehabilitation association. 
     While the ADA has helped a number of people with 
disabilities to find satisfying jobs, the Act has also given 
people an important tool to ensure that their disabilities can be 
accommodated in the workplace--the reasonable accommodation 
provision. Before the ADA, related an unidentified man who works 
for Florida Power and Light, "I had a problem at work getting a 
door opener and things put low enough so that I could use them." 
But since the ADA, "the accommodations I need have been easy to 
obtain, and my employer has been great."
     When talking to employers, Michael Messer, Executive 
Director of the Association for Retarded Citizens in Miami, calls 
the ADA a "door opener." Messer says that once employers 
understand the law and what is expected of them, "they are 
willing to learn what they need to do." Messer believes the ADA 
is moving more people into jobs and into the community.
     While the employment provisions are one of the most 
important parts of the ADA, the law's call for access in public 
accommodations has also had a positive impact on many lives. 
Barbara Bernhardt reported that since the ADA's passage, she has 
seen more accessible clothing stores, equipped with accessible 
fitting rooms. And hotels, she says, are realizing that 
accessibility means good business. She described one Florida 
hotel that has made 13 guest rooms accessible. Roll-in showers 
and a variety of accommodations for people with hearing 
impairments are available.
     Accommodations are also being made in the area of mental 
health services, explained Maggie Fermin, a counselor for people 
with hearing impairments. "Before the ADA," she said, "deaf and 
hard of hearing people had little access to psychologists and 
psychiatrists." But now, "interpreters are more readily 
available, and there are some mental health professionals who 
sign," said Fermin.
     The ADA has had a particularly positive impact on certain 
populations, especially children. Three organizations of parents 
of children with disabilities were represented at the Town 
Meeting. One parent, Maria Fernandez, speaking through an 
interpreter, told those
assembled, "Before the ADA came about, parents of children with 
disabilities did not know where to turn. Now we are able to get 
the help our children need."      
     Another group who have especially benefited from the ADA are 
Hispanic Americans. Angelina Rodriguez explained that Hispanic 
families are likely to view disability as shame on the family, 
something to keep hidden. But the ADA is helping to dispel that 
sense, she said, and Hispanic Americans with disabilities are 
seeking the education and training that will enable them to 
participate fully in society.
     Farmworkers are another group who have benefited from the 
ADA, according to Eduardo Bernones of the Farmworker Training 
Program for Migrant and Seasonal Farmworkers. In reporting his 
recent efforts to get a grant to help migrant farmworkers with 
disabilities, Bernones said, "I was amazed to learn that the rate 
of disability among farmworkers is three times the national 
average." There are 200,000 migrant farmworkers with disabilities 
in the U.S., according to Bernones, and 60,000 disabled 
farmworker dependents. Because of the grant he helped secure, 
"awareness of the ADA among farmworkers in the area has 
increased," Bernones said. 
     One of the greatest impacts of the ADA is that it supports 
people's efforts to advocate for greater access. Jack Humburg, 
Director of Communications for Abilities of Florida, told a story 
about how one family, because they knew the law, were able to get 
St. Petersburg's Thunder Dome to set aside front row seats on a 
regular basis for spectators with visual impairments.
     Humburg related another story about a deaf woman from 
Colombia who married an American and moved to the U.S. "He abused 
her and controlled her," Humburg recounted. The woman left her 
husband, contacted a deaf services center, and learned her rights 
as a citizen and a deaf person. She got training and is now 
working as a secretary. "The ADA gave her motivation," said 
Humburg. "Without the rights granted through the ADA, she 
couldn't have broken away and found employment."



Common Threads

The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers:
        People with disabilities are more able to ask for--and 
        get--access to employment, shopping, and recreation.
        
        There are more assistive technologies available in the 
        workplace.
        The number of curb cuts and handicapped parking spaces 
        has grown.
        There has been a change in attitude on the part of 
        business owners, employers, and others. They have become 
        much more receptive to making reasonable accommodations.
        
        The attitude of people with disabilities has changed. 
        Many said that now for the first time they see themselves 
        as full citizens with the same rights and 
        responsibilities as other Americans.  


                  NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
                  50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                      GEORGIA SUMMARY REPORT
               FEBRUARY 4, 1995


Host organization: Georgia ADA Exchange
NCD Member: Jack Gannon

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in Georgia?

     Better opportunities for children, greater ease in travel, 
and improved services of all sorts for people with disabilities 
were cited by Georgians as important benefits brought about by 
the ADA.
     "My son Daniel has been in Cub Scouts for the last two 
years, thanks to the ADA," said Nancy Duncan, the mother of a 
third grader who is blind. She explained that before the ADA, 
Scouting was closed to children with disabilities. But today he 
is part of a neighborhood troop with his friends. Other 
opportunities are opening up for Daniel as well. Last year he 
attended a city-sponsored day camp, open for the first time to 
children with disabilities. "And you can't imagine the look on 
Daniel's face in a restaurant recently when he sat down and read 
the Braille menu! These changes have only been possible since the 
ADA," Duncan said.
     Playing and watching sports have also become easier for 
children with disabilities. Until recently, related Linda 
Hawkins, sports at school were off limits for her son, a 17 year 
old who uses a wheelchair. "John wanted to participate in weight 
training, but couldn't get to the field house." Located down a 
steep gravel hill from the school, the field house was 
inaccessible for John's wheelchair. But the school agreed to 
create an accessible path to the field house only after Hawkins 
studied the ADA and insisted that her son be accommodated.
A new gym is being built at the school, and it is being made 
accessible. "I couldn't get the school to make accommodations 
until I had the ADA behind me," Hawkins stated. 
     Another mother, Jill Crow, told about her 10-year old 
daughter who loves baseball. But the only way she could attend 
her brother's games was for three men to carry her and her 
wheelchair to the ball field. "Once she got there, she was in 
danger of being hit because there was no place for her wheelchair 
that was safe from foul balls," said her mother. But thanks to 
the ADA, the ball field is now accessible. A high fence protects 
wheelchair users and others, and the gravel and mud that made 
maneuvering a wheelchair difficult have been replaced with 
walkways. 
     The Act has made life better for travelers as well. Edrina 
Clegg stated that she has been able to continue her education 
only because a van equipped with a lift can transport her to 
school. 
     Jesse Tyler owes his employment to the improved public 
transportation the ADA has brought about. Years ago Tyler took 
the bus to work every day in Atlanta. But after a spinal cord 
injury it became necessary for him to use a wheelchair, As a 
result, he had no way to get to work. "Because of the ADA, the 
city put lifts on the buses, and I became an employed person 
again," said Tyler. "I spend my money and pay taxes, thanks to an 
accessible transportation system that wouldn't have occurred 
without the ADA. Tyler added that he is glad the ADA has helped 
him get off government support and into productive work.      
     Improvements in local public transportation got Bonnie 
Bonham out of a jam. Bonham, a wheelchair user, was driving on 
the highway near Atlanta when her van broke down. She called AAA, 
and "thanks to the fact that Cobb County operates accessible 
vehicles, they were able to get us and our wheelchairs home," she 
said. "Without the ADA, Cobb County wouldn't have offered such a 
service," she said.
     Tony Cordova also spoke of the changes ADA has wrought in 
public transportation. "The ADA has provided me with good public 
transportation," he said. "The bus comes within a half-block of 
my home. I use it all the time." Cordova also recounted that as 
the ADA was working its way through Congress, his local transit 
authority was trying to decide
whether to purchase some accessible buses. Cordova was part of a 
citizens' group that persuaded the transit authority to do so.
     Improved public transportation has meant a lot to Carol 
Asch, a Columbus resident who uses a wheelchair. Her city's buses 
have been equipped with hydraulic lifts, she says, "so I can get 
out and do things. I'm grateful for the ADA," she said. 
     "The difference in long distance travel pre-ADA and post-ADA 
is dramatic!" exclaimed Bonnie Bonham. Last year when she flew to 
California she was delighted that the shuttle service was 
accessible and that, with no problem, she could rent an 
accessible van upon arrival. Travel was far more difficult before 
the ADA passed, she said.
     The improvements in access to Amtrak trains is a result of 
the ADA, Adam Shapiro told NCD. "I worked hard for years to get 
Amtrak to install 'detectable warning' granite strips in its 
stations," he said, "but it was only after the ADA passed that 
things started to happen."
     In addition to expanding opportunities for children and 
making travel easier, the ADA has also made many local and state 
government services more accessible. In Hall County, for example, 
the public library, the court house, science center, school board 
building, and even the landfill are being made accessible, 
according to Stephanie Wells, who represents ACCESS-Hall County 
and the Georgia Library Association. "Without the ADA, none of 
the improvements to these facilities would be underway," she told 
those attending the Town Meeting. The library, she said, is 
beginning to buy close-captioned films and descriptive videos. 
"The ADA has made the library system aware of the need to provide 
services and materials for people with all disabilities," she 
said.
     The Georgia Highway Patrol has also made its services more 
accessible by installing a TTY. "They have not always had access 
through the relay," said Sandy Marchman, "and they wanted to make 
sure deaf people can reach them in an emergency."
     In addition to benefiting people with all sorts of 
disabilities in all sorts of ways, the ADA helps non-disabled 
individuals as well. Liz Patrick, Chair of the Georgia ADA 
Exchange, stated two ways in which she benefits. First of all, 
she could become disabled at any time and would really need the 
law. And second, "thanks to the ADA, I've gotten to
know some fine people I wouldn't have met if curb cuts, 
wheelchair lifts, and other improvements hadn't been made that 
allow people with disabilities to get out in the world," she 
said. 

Common Threads

The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers.
        Transportation improvements have made both intra-city and 
        inter-city travel easier for people with disabilities.
        
        Many businesses are complying with the ADA because they 
        realize that accessibility means good business.
        
        People with hearing impairments can now participate in 
        town meetings and conferences that they could not attend 
        in the past.
        
        Parks and day camps are more accessible, and there are 
        more programs that are inclusive, rather than created 
        specifically for people with disabilities.

                  NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
                  50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                       HAWAII SUMMARY REPORT
               FEBRUARY 28, 1995


Host organization: Hawaii Centers for Independent Living
NCD Staff: Billie Jean Hill

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in Hawaii?

     Hawaii residents testified that the ADA has had a positive 
impact on their lives, especially in the areas of employment, 
public accommodations, and transportation. Several also stated 
that the ADA has created a new awareness that has brought its own 
benefits.
     One important thing the ADA has done to make employment more 
accessible is to call for reasonable accommodations that allow 
people to perform well on the job. Cindy McCoy, Chapter Services 
Director of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society in Honolulu, 
explained that she and many of her clients are able to work flex 
time schedules, thanks to the ADA. "Another accommodation that 
helps people with MS to remain employed," McCoy said, "is being 
allowed to work at home." 
     Michael Tada has also benefited from the ADA's Title I 
provisions on employment. "When ADA was first introduced," he 
said, "I got hired at Pizza Hut, after completing my training at 
Lanakila Crafts." Tada, who has cerebral palsy, added, "I'll do 
whatever it takes to help ensure that the ADA stays strong."
     The ADA has added strength to the efforts of institutions 
that have long been involved in helping individuals with 
disabilities find employment. Chrissy Zukerkorn, who does job 
placement at Goodwill Industries, believes that the ADA has made 
a difference in her job placement efforts. "Many employers are 
very receptive," she said.
     Michelle Williamson added in a written statement that the 
ADA "has helped me to understand my rights in getting a job, 
since I have a disability." The ADA has also given Williamson the 
courage to talk about her disability, she wrote.
     The ADA has made restaurants, conferences, and a wide range 
of other activities accessible. Philip Ana, who works at the 
Hawaii Centers for Independent Living, related that he has 
encountered wheelchair-accessible tables at McDonald's. The 
tables can be converted, he explained, so that a person in a 
wheelchair can pull in under the table and sit at it, just as 
anyone else can.
     Ana, who is blind, also commented that public accommodations 
have become more accessible to people with visual impairments. "I 
notice now every conference that I attend, the people who are 
managing the program make sure that there's Braille material 
available," Ana said. 
     Thanks to the ADA, Lourdes Mugas, a wheelchair user, 
successfully advocated for the lowering of public telephones at a 
major hotel. "The problem is they wanted to accommodate people, 
but they didn't know how," she said. Mugas referred the hotel to 
an ADA consultant, and the phones were lowered. The hotel is also 
creating accessible parking spaces, as a result of Mugas's 
intervention, she explained.
     The next frontier for accessible public accommodations, 
according to Ana, is the beach. Ana stated that he and another 
Independent Living Center staff member are working on finding 
ways to make the beach accessible to people with disabilities!
     In addition to public accommodations and employment, 
important strides are also being made in transportation. JoAnne 
Bosserdet commented that Honolulu paratransit and the city's 
accessible buses have "opened up another world for all of the 
disabled here in Hawaii. "Now the accessible buses will go around 
the island," she said.
     One of the greatest benefits of the ADA is not a concrete 
one. Many reported that the ADA has increased public awareness 
and has led to an increase in self-esteem among people with 
disabilities. Michelle Williamson believes that, even though the 
ADA does not address housing, it helped her succeed more quickly 
in getting her apartment made accessible.
"Because of the ADA," she said, "I think it made it a little bit 
faster because the landlord understood that things need to be 
accessible."
     Mark Obatake, Executive Director of the Hawaii Centers for 
Independent Living, summed it up for many when he described the 
ADA as a civil rights law for people with disabilities. "As a 
person with a disability looking at the ADA," he said, "more than 
anything else it has given me personally a sense of validation." 
He went on to say that even though the spirit of the ADA is not 
confrontational, it does offer legal recourse in cases where the 
civil rights of people with disabilities are denied.

Common Threads

The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers:
        The ADA has expanded work opportunities by calling for 
        reasonable accommodations.
        
        Attitudes of many people, including employers, are 
        changing for the better, in regard to people with 
        disabilities.
        
        Travel, both local and long distance, has become easier 
        for people with disabilities.

        The ADA has increased awareness that helps enforce 
        existing laws that protect the rights of individuals with 
        disabilities.
        
        The self-esteem and confidence of people with 
        disabilities is much improved.
        
        A variety of public accommodations have become accessible 
        to people with a variety of disabilities.
        
        People with disabilities now have an effective tool for 
        self-advocacy, and they are using it.

                  NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
                  50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                       IDAHO SUMMARY REPORT
                APRIL 27, 1995


Host organization: Idaho Task Force on the ADA
NCD Member: Kate Wolters

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in Idaho?

     Citizens gathered in Boise to tell NCD about the positive 
impacts the ADA has had on their lives. Transportation was the 
most often cited improvement people said they have experienced as 
a result of the ADA, but access to outdoor recreation 
opportunities and other kinds of public accommodations were also 
noted.
     Don Collins told those present that Boise recently acquired 
20 new wheelchair lift-equipped buses along with two new 
paratransit vehicles. "Now I'll be able to get around without 
having to schedule rides 24 hours in advance," Collins remarked. 
"It's a real exciting time for folks in Boise. We've been waiting 
a long time for this," he said. "And the Boise bus system is 
reorganizing in an attempt to shorten waiting times and develop 
routes that cover more territory," added Roger Howard, Executive 
Director of the Idaho Task Force on the ADA.
     Sue Harms is another Boise resident who spoke about the 
improvements in transportation that have resulted from the ADA. 
Although currently able to drive, Harms spent more than two years 
unable to drive because of Multiple Sclerosis. "Having the 
availability of the ACCESS bus to transport me directly to and 
from my house to medical and other appointments, support group 
meetings, etc. enabled me to manage my life's commitments and 
interests without having to rely on family members and other 
volunteer drivers," she said. Harms also finds the ACCESS fares 
reasonable. "They fit within my fixed
income which would not be able to stretch to cover taxi costs," 
she remarked. And now that Harms is driving again, she commented 
that she welcomes reserved parking spaces for disabled travelers. 
     Outdoor recreation activities have become much more 
accessible as a result of the ADA, according to Roger Howard. 
Idahoans with disabilities want more access to picnicking, 
fishing, camping, and other outdoor recreational activities, 
reported Howard, who cited a recent study by the Idaho State 
Independent Living Council which shows that 80% of people with 
disabilities in Idaho agree or strongly agree that access to 
recreational opportunities is important.
     Since passage of the ADA, Howard explained, "things have 
begun to change dramatically." The Boise National Forest has made 
accessibility improvements at a number of campsites--highly used 
facilities and remote, backcountry sites alike. "In every case," 
he said, "a majority of the recommended modifications were not 
only low in cost but easy to accomplish."
     Howard offered an example of how, through education, a 
non-disabled person came to support the campground changes. Most 
of the improvements had already been made, and Howard was taking 
photographs to show how little still needed to be done. A nearby 
camper and long-time user of the campground came over, and the 
two started talking. "The man said the character and attractions 
of the campground would be destroyed if it were made accessible. 
He was surprised when I told him that the modifications had been 
taking place for four years and were 95% complete." Howard took 
the camper on a tour of the campground to show him the work that 
had already been done. "He mentioned that he had noticed the 
changes, but had just figured they were minor improvements that 
benefited all users. By the end of the discussion, he was firmly 
convinced that accessibility improvements had not ruined the 
campground and was running around trying to find barriers I had 
missed so they too could be removed!" Howard said. Howard's 
camper friend illustrates the fact that once people really 
understand the ADA, they usually support it.
     Howard also described efforts by the City of Boise Parks and 
Recreation Department to make multiple use urban parks as well as 
small neighborhood parks accessible. "Implementation of this 
ambitious and cost-effective plan has begun," he said. 
     In addition to recreational facilities, hotels have also 
been made more accessible since the ADA. Richard Gallaghen, 
manager of the hotel in which the Town Meeting was held, spoke 
briefly. His hotel has made a number of modifications, he 
explained, in order to be fully accessible to guests with 
disabilities. "And we've enhanced our business by working with 
groups like the Idaho Task Force," he said. Gallaghen will be 
president of the Greater Boise Innkeepers Association next year, 
and "I will be urging our members to make their facilities more 
accessible as well," Gallaghen said.
     Day to day community life is more accessible, thanks to the 
ADA, several said. Marcie Dale, a wheelchair user with cerebral 
palsy, spoke appreciatively of curb cuts in Boise. "I am thankful 
for what the Boise community is doing to make it easier for 
people with disabilities to live independently in the community," 
she commented.
     Another woman, Bobby Ball, a wheelchair user, wanted to be 
able to visit her children at their school. But she could not, 
because the school entrance had stairs but no ramp. "For two 
years I requested that a ramp be built so that I could get into 
the school," said Ball. The school refused. "Then I found out 
about the ADA and explained the law to them. "Then the school put 
in a ramp, and now I can visit my children's school, which I 
really enjoy. The ADA is a great piece of legislation," she says. 
Although the ADA does not address education, its passage appears 
to have made many school systems more aware of their 
responsibilities under earlier legislation.
     In addition to travel, recreation, and public 
accommodations, the ADA has made a difference in employment to 
Idahoans. Don Collins, who works at the Idaho State Insurance 
Fund, stated that before he began his job, he and his employer 
discussed accommodations he would need. "They got me a voice 
recognition computer system," said Collins. "Having knowledge of 
the ADA aided me greatly.



Common Threads

The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers:
        Local public transportation has become much more 
        accessible for people with disabilities.
        
        The ADA has provided a stimulus to the implementation of 
        earlier civil rights legislation directed at people with 
        disabilities.
        
        Non-disabled people are much more aware of disabilities 
        and receptive to accommodating people with disabilities.


                  NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
                  50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                      ILLINOIS SUMMARY REPORT
                 JUNE 1, 1995


Host organization: Chicago Mayor's Office for People with 
Disabilities
NCD Member: Marca Bristo

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in Illinois?

     A large and varied group of individuals gathered at the 
Illinois Town Meeting to tell NCD that the ADA has meant a great 
deal to them. In employment, recreation, public accommodation, 
and transportation, the ADA has made a difference that the people 
who testified regard as extremely positive.
     Illinois residents offered some impressive accounts of 
increased employment opportunities as a result of the ADA. Jo 
Holzer talked about her daughter's employment success. Margaret 
works at a Hilton Hotel as a reservations clerk. She is also 
quadriplegic. In her work she puts her computer keyboard on a 
music stand and uses a headset telephone. "Her work record is 
excellent," bragged Margaret's mother, "and she's been working 
there for two years." 
     Employees with disabilities are not the only ones who 
benefit from the employment provisions of the ADA. Employers can 
benefit as well. Ann Ford, who directs an independent living 
center, hires a number of individuals with disabilities. "We 
operate on a tight budget," she said, "but no accommodation 
required by my staff has been costly or prohibitive," she said. 
Her employees have a variety of disabilities, including mental 
and emotional problems. "From the standpoint of both an employer 
and a person with a disability, I'm seeing only positive changes 
resulting from the ADA," Ford added. 
     Employers who have no experience hiring people with 
disabilities are often concerned that the cost of accommodation 
will be very high. But Bill Bisaillon's story is typical. 
Bisaillon, who works at an independent living center in Kankakee, 
got a call from an employer who wanted to accommodate an employee 
with a disability but was worried about the cost. Bisaillon 
surveyed the worksite and concluded that the needed 
accommodations included: putting the employee's desk on blocks, 
installing a small, wooden ramp, and changing the way the 
bathroom door opens. The total cost: less than $50.
     While employment is crucial to full participation in life, 
the importance of recreation must not be overlooked. And the ADA 
has opened up many recreational opportunities for people with 
disabilities. Beverly Stange-Elliott is pleased with what the ADA 
has brought about for her family. Her daughter has muscular 
dystrophy, and her town has built a completely accessible park. 
Accessible equipment was donated by the Lions' Club, and an 
accessible swim center has been put in. "Now my daughter can play 
at the park with other kids without feeling left out," explained 
Stange-Elliott. She also noted that state parks have become much 
more accessible in the last few years. She described a state park 
campground that has been made accessible with a raised picnic 
table, an accessible bathroom, and an asphalt ground surface. 
"Camping there was a good family experience," Stange-Elliott 
stated enthusiastically. "We never could go camping before."
     A very different type of recreation has also been made 
accessible. "For the past few years I've taken cruises," said 
Fred Stark, Coordinator of Chicago-ADAPT. "Facilities are 
becoming more and more accessible--both the ships and the ports," 
he said. "Princess Lines are especially accessible," he added.
     Even gambling has become an accessible form of recreation! 
"Casinos like the Grand Victoria in Elgin and the Hollywood 
Casino in Aurora have accommodations for the disabled 
individuals!!" wrote Connie Duffin in testimony she submitted to 
the Town Meeting.
     In addition to recreation, many other types of public 
accommodations have become more accessible to people with 
disabilities. Many people would echo Father Joseph Mulcrone's 
comment that, "businesses have realized, 'Hey, this is a whole 
new pool of customers!'"
     Certain public accommodations changes are of special benefit 
to people with visual impairments. Ray Campbell is happy that he 
can find Braille menus at some restaurants. "In the last two 
months I've been to the Outback Steak House, and to Bob Evans," 
he said. "How nice to be able to read the menu!" 
     Another individual with a visual impairment arranged to have 
a bill sent to him in large print. When he got a bill from 
Nordstrom's that he could not read, "I called the store and told 
them I would like to get the bill in large print," said Jim 
McGovern, director of an employment project with the Council for 
Disability Rights. "They didn't know anything about it, but I 
said that through the ADA I can legally request a large print 
bill. And then I was sent a bill I could read," he said.
     Some stores and other public accommodations are being made 
smoke-free, partly in response to people who have envirnmental 
sensitivities. "Dunkin' Donuts is now smoke-free nationwide," 
stated Theresa Woznicki. She inquired about the impact of that 
policy on business and was told, she said, that business is about 
the same. "The only difference," reported Woznicki, "is that the 
people who hung around a long time don't linger."
     Sometimes access can be had simply by asking for it. Edward 
Bannister, of the Coalition for Citizens with Disabilities in 
Illinois, recalled that he was riding along the street in his 
motorized cart when he noticed a boy nearby riding in a motorized 
wheelchair. "His mother was following behind carrying a board," 
he said. "Whenever he came to a curb, she put the board down to 
form a ramp for his wheelchair," said Bannister. Then Bannister 
got together with another advocate and went to the local public 
works department to ask for a few curb cuts. "They told us we 
could have as many as we want," said Bannister, "so we had curb 
cuts put in all over the neighborhood!"
     Bannister's 82-year old mother, also a wheelchair user, 
admires her son's activism. According to Bannister, when he told 
her about the curb cuts, she asked him, "Where were you when I 
was growing up?" Bannister believes we need the ADA. "We have a 
level of respect we've never had before," he added.
     Like citizens of many other states, Illinois residents are 
thankful for transportation improvements the ADA has brought 
about. "The ADA has had a major impact on
transportation," commented Jim Charlton, a Chicago area leader in 
transportation access. "The number of accessible buses in the 
area has increased five-fold," he said.
     Even distant Chicago suburbs are doing a good job of 
providing accessible public transportation, according to Susan 
Firnhaber of the Will County Center for Independent Living. "The 
county has fully equipped lift buses," she said. "Accessible 
transportation allows people with disabilities to be productive 
and to have gainful employment," she said. "It would have been 
impossible without the ADA."
     One transportation improvement was especially noted by 
people with visual impairments. Karen Bartler is very glad that 
many train stations have installed a detectable warning system. 
"I feel much safer in stations that have detectable warning," she 
said. 
     For one former Chicagoan who came to the Town Meeting, the 
city has come a long way.  "I see a dramatic change in the last 
five years since Mayor Daley created the Mayor's Office for 
People with Disabilities," remarked Michael Conroy.  "Daley was 
the first big-city mayor to publicly endorse the ADA, and you can 
tell he is committed to its full implementation.  Chicago is now 
a much more accessible, disability-friendly City."
   
Common Threads

The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers:
        Many people with disabilities who used to be dependent on 
        others are enjoying their newfound independence.
        
        Once employers realize that most accommodations are very 
        simple and inexpensive, they are willing to hire persons 
        with disabilities.
        
        Retailers and other business owners are realizing that 
        people with disabilities represent a valuable, largely 
        untapped market.
        
        Detectable warnings installed in subway and train 
        stations have been a great help to people who are blind. 
        
        It is much easier to find a public TTY than it was a few 
        years ago.
        
        Many people with disabilities report that their 
        self-esteem has improved, and they feel more 
        self-confident since the ADA passed.
        
        More playgrounds are accessible to all children.
        
        Public transportation is much more available to people 
        with disabilities than it was a few years ago. 

                  NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
                  50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                      INDIANA SUMMARY REPORT
                APRIL 25, 1995


Host organization: Indiana ADA Steering Committee
NCD Member: Larry Brown

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in Indiana?

     Hoosiers gathered at their Town Meeting to let NCD know that 
the ADA is working for them. In the areas of employment, 
transportation, and public accommodations the ADA is making a 
difference in their lives. Some noted particular benefits of the 
law to people who are deaf or hard of hearing, and others pointed 
out positive impacts of the ADA on people without disabilities.
     "Because of the ADA I got a job at a supermarket," commented 
Eve Minton. "I am so thankful that the ADA exists."
     David Vice, a mechanic, feels that he owes his job at a 
major steel company to the ADA. "I wouldn't be working there if 
it weren't for the ADA," he said. "The company accommodates me, 
so I can feed my two children and pay my taxes." Vice, a member 
of United Steelworkers Local 1010, went on to explain that he 
works with the union to help the company establish compliance 
standards to provide adequate accommodations for minimal cost. 
"We've already accommodated several people who work at the 
mills," said Vice, "and it hasn't been expensive. In fact, I 
don't see any costs, except rarely." And, he added, "as a person 
with a disability, I find ADA one of the best pieces of 
legislation in recent years."
     ADA trainer Jodie San Pietro pointed out that employers can 
save money by providing reasonable accommodations for employees 
who have become disabled. "It's cheaper to work with an employee 
to accommodate his or her disability," she said, "than to
hire someone else." San Pietro credits the ADA with both saving 
employers money and with keeping more people with disabilities in 
the workforce.
     The ADA has also made a difference to Indianans in terms of 
transportation. "Because of the ADA I now have transportation to 
and from my employment," stated Sharon Byrkett in written 
testimony. Before the ADA, she explained, Indianapolis had a very 
small paratransit system that allowed few riders. "I could get a 
ride to my job, but could not get a ride home," she explained. 
Her husband, who also has a disability, had to pick her up every 
day, even when a work emergency at his own workplace required him 
to work late. "Now, because of the ADA" she wrote, "I have the 
RIGHT AND THE RESPONSIBILITY to use public transportation and to 
make sure that the law is enforced."
     Larry Snyder, an ADA consultant, told a surprising story 
about public transportation in his community of Columbus. In 1992 
people with disabilities began asking the Columbus Transit System 
to use lift-equipped buses. It turned out that ramps had been 
installed on buses in 1988 during a different administration, 
"but no one realized they were there because they had never been 
used," explained Snyder, a wheelchair user. "So the ramps were 
oiled and they're now in use," he stated. "Now our transportation 
system is second to none in Indiana!" 
     Public transportation in Indianapolis has improved 
dramatically since the ADA's passage, according to Karen Vaughn 
of Vaughn & Associates. "Our paratransit system provides about 
400 rides a day," she said, "well over 300 more per day than 
before the ADA." 
     Many of the paratransit rides in Indianapolis and other 
cities are to public accommodations which, thanks to the ADA, are 
more likely to be accessible. "The ADA has made it possible for 
me to enjoy my life," stated Rita Renee Gould, a single mother 
who has been paraplegic for six years. "I can shop, go to the 
beauty shop, and do what everyone else does," she stated. One 
important reason Gould appreciates being able to get around 
independently is that she does not want her 12-year old son to be 
burdened by having to push his mother's wheelchair wherever she 
wants to go. Gould, who is African-American,
believes the ADA is reaching the minority community fairly well 
but that there are many who still do not understand the extent of 
the law. "I'm trying to educate," she stated.
     While greater access to public accommodations is making life 
easier and better for people in their own communities, travel is 
becoming easier as well. One reason for that is the increase in 
accessible motel and hotel rooms. Yo Samson described a recent 
car trip when she and her friend were looking for an accessible 
place to spend the night. "We had a hard time finding a place," 
said Samson, a wheelchair user who is also blind, "not because 
there weren't any accessible accommodations but because they were 
all in use!" She attributed the rooms' existence to the ADA.
     Sometimes access to public accommodations comes only with 
great effort. In written testimony, Suzie Rimstidt told NCD that 
she had to fight to get accessible seating at Indiana University 
basketball games. Because her disability prevents her from 
climbing steps, Rimstidt wrote to the Sports Department 
explaining her situation and requesting seats in the front of the 
bleachers.  "In response, and to my consternation," she wrote, 
"the Sports Department sent me aisle seats 11 steps up, with no 
railing or even a wall to hang onto!" Rimstidt then called the 
Sports Department and was told nothing could be done because all 
the tickets had been sold. But then when Rimstidt brought up the 
need to comply with the ADA, "they made far more accessible and 
safer accommodations for me on a game by game basis."
     One group who have particularly benefited from the ADA are 
the deaf and hard of hearing. David Reynolds of the Indiana Deaf 
School brought a group of middle school students to the Town 
Meeting. They had been learning about the ADA in school and were 
eager to offer their opinions about the Act.
     Johnny Mazurkewicz commented, "I thank the ADA for the state 
relay service. I can now talk on the phone to anyone I want. It 
gives me more independence to use the phone." Another student, 
David Arvey, who goes to the Deaf School half-days and is 
mainstreamed half-days, thanks the ADA "for mandating 
interpreters for mainstream students."
     Another group of people who benefit from the ADA are people 
without disabilities. Russell Goode,  a wheelchair user, cited a 
study which showed that more than 90% of
people will walk to a curb cut rather than step off or onto a 
curb. And Alan Spaulding pointed out that senior citizens who 
once saw their disabilities simply as aging are now happy to be 
able to take advantage of curb cuts, assisted listening devices, 
and other accommodations that help them participate fully in 
society. "And people without disabilities appreciate automatic 
doors," Spaulding said, "if their hands are full and they're 
trying to get into a building."

     As Jodie San Pietro says, "I look at the ADA as an insurance 
policy. If I become disabled, I'll know that public 
accommodations, employment, and state and local government 
programs are still available to me."

Common Threads

The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers:
        Many municipal buildings have been made accessible.
     
        Local transportation for people with disabilities is much 
        better than it was before the ADA.
        
        People with disabilities feel more confident and more 
        hopeful about their future.
        
        People with disabilities are more able to get reasonable 
        accommodations to enable them to use their skills in the 
        workplace.

        
        Many changes that have been made to provide access for 
        people with disabilities have benefited non-disabled 
        people as well.
        
        The relay service has brought people with hearing 
        impairments into the mainstream where they can 
        communicate by phone with anyone without having to have 
        someone else place their calls for them.

                  NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
                  50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                        IOWA SUMMARY REPORT
                APRIL 11, 1995

Host organization: Iowa Commission on Persons with Disabilities
NCD Member: Larry Brown

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in Iowa?

     When it comes to public accommodations, travel, and services 
for people with hearing impairments, the ADA has affected Iowans' 
lives in beneficial ways, many people stated at their ADA Town 
Meeting. In addition, some said, ADA has fostered a spirit of 
teamwork among individuals with different disabilities.
     "Many businesses are working to comply with the ADA," stated 
Kevin Burt, who works at Iowa City's Independent Living Center. 
And Burt finds that newer businesses are more willing to comply 
than older ones. "The attitude is more receptive among younger 
businesses," Burt says, "when we show them what they can do to 
bring in more customers by making their facilities accessible." 
Burt, an African-American whose father was involved in an earlier 
civil rights struggle, believes that a barrier to a person with a 
disability is as discriminatory as a 'whites only' sign in a 
store window.
     Businesses can benefit from complying with the ADA, pointed 
out one unidentified speaker. She described a gas station that 
moved its aisles to increase accessibility. 
     A theater manager in Davenport also found that complying 
with the ADA increased his business. Mike Hanick, director of an 
advocacy training program at the University of Iowa, explained 
that the manager grudgingly installed audio description. "But 
then the manager noticed there is a market for this tool, and he 
realized it made sense from a business point of view."
     Hanick says that in today's disability-conscious climate, 
many institutions really want to become accessible. A number of 
businesses have approached him to learn what they can do to make 
their facilities accessible. "Even my church," he said, 
"accommodated me by purchasing Braille prayer books, despite the 
fact that churches are not covered by the ADA. 
     Self-advocacy is especially effective when it comes to 
public accommodations. John TenPas described his wife's approach 
to getting stores to move toward accessibility. "My wife was born 
to shop," he said. "And if she can't get in one store, she'll go 
to another, and then write a letter to the inaccessible one, 
telling about all the money she spent elsewhere that she would 
have spent there if the store had been accessible."
     All those who addressed travel agreed that greater access is 
needed. But many had positive stories to tell as well. One 
unidentified woman from Cedar Rapids described a program in her 
city that allows people who cannot drive because of disability to 
take a taxi to work on a regular basis for only half-fare.  
     Another kind of travel--the ocean cruise--is a little more 
accessible these days. "Because of the ADA, I can enjoy my 
favorite kind of vacation without having to get a physician's 
release to go on the cruise," said Mike Hanick.
     People who are deaf or hard of hearing have benefited 
greatly from the ADA, several speakers said. "Title IV has had 
and will have a most profound effect on the deaf," stated Janice 
Hawkins, the daughter of deaf parents. She describes the change 
in the lives of deaf people due to the relay service as 
'monumental.' Now that deaf people can use the relay to conduct 
business on their own without help from a hearing person, "I see 
individuals taking charge of their own lives," said Hawkins.
      An advocate, Hawkins observed that deaf people are being 
given more responsibility on the job, as well as more promotions. 
"It used to be that deaf people stayed in the same job throughout 
their careers," said Hawkins, who suffers from later effects of 
childhood polio and considers the ADA her "life insurance 
policy." 
     The needs of hard of hearing people, different from the 
needs of deaf people, are also being addressed by the ADA, 
commented Jill Robinson, who is hard of hearing and the president 
of Central Iowa Self-Help for Hard of Hearing. Robinson explained 
that since
many hard of hearing people do not sign, they do not benefit from 
interpreters. "But thanks to the ADA," she said, "assistive 
listening devices are usually available at meetings, and 
hospitals have amplified phones and other devices that enable 
people who are hard of hearing to communicate." Because of the 
ADA, Robinson explained, the state's court system and Capitol 
building have been made accessible to hard of hearing people. 
"Before the ADA, I never saw a public TTY telephone," she said.
     Though not a tangible benefit of the ADA, the spirit of 
unity created among people with different disabilities is not to 
be overlooked. "Even though programs existed prior to the ADA," 
stated Murlean Hall, the first African-American chairperson of 
the Governor's Planning Council for Developmental Disabilities, 
"there seems to have developed a new sense of unity among 
participants."  Dave O'Brien, outreach director at the Central 
Iowa Independent Living Center, agrees. "The ADA has created an 
air of teamwork that's stopped separation of people with 
different disabilities from each other," he said. "The ADA has 
bridged the gap among different disabilities toward the greater 
whole," he added.

Common Threads

The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers:
        More and more employers are realizing that people with 
        disabilities can make motivated and reliable employees.
        
        Owners of different types of businesses are realizing 
        that accessibility can be good for business.
        
        Communication has opened up for people who are hearing 
        impaired.


                  NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
                  50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                       KANSAS SUMMARY REPORT
               FEBRUARY 15, 1995


Host organization: Kansas Commission on Disability Concerns
NCD Member: Larry Brown

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in Kansas?

     Speakers at the ADA Town Meeting in Topeka expressed 
gratitude for the difference ADA has made in their lives--at 
work, in the community, at home, and in entertainment, 
recreation, and travel.
     "After six years of receiving disability benefits, I am now 
able to collect a paycheck," Michael Todd told those present. 
"ADA has removed barriers to employment, and it feels good once 
again to be a contributing member of society," stated Todd, a 
computer lab instructor. "ADA is a wonderful piece of legislation 
that has allowed many of us to achieve independence," he said.
     Avia Cole also attributes her employment to the ADA. When a 
stroke in 1979 and subsequent complications left her partially 
paralyzed and unable to read or write, Cole tried unsuccessfully 
to find work. "After the ADA was passed, I went to a seminar on 
ADA and employment and got rejuvenated," said Cole. "I began 
looking again, and within two months I found a job. Now I'm 
working!"
     An artist credits the ADA with enhancing his career. Jeri 
Strange's disability makes marketing his paintings difficult, but 
thanks, Strange says, to increased self-confidence among people 
with disabilities as a result of the ADA, an organization of 
artists with disabilities has emerged. The group, Art Knows No 
Bounds, has helped Strange exhibit his work. Now Strange is a 
better known artist. He is finding markets for his paintings and 
is
teaching art.  "The ADA presented these opportunities," Strange 
stated, "to achieve my life goals."
     Several speakers spoke about the ADA's requirement of 
reasonable accommodation in the workplace. Alan Post, a Wichita 
attorney, has a hearing impairment. Computer-assisted real-time 
captioning (CART) is an accommodation that has helped him a great 
deal. With CART, a court reporter types symbols into a computer 
that can then produce words about two seconds after they are 
spoken. "There is nothing worse than struggling along in a 
gathering at the level of 'what did they say' with no time to 
analyze and react, especially for a lawyer in court," says Post. 
With CART, Post feels he is much more effective in his work.
     While high tech equipment is enabling many people with 
disabilities to work, reasonable accommodations are more often 
simple and inexpensive. For example, Kenneth Golden, a wheelchair 
user, says the main accommodation he needed at work was just a 
couple of wooden blocks to raise his computer desk so that his 
wheelchair could fit under it. The cost? Less than $5.
     Businesses, professional offices, and entire communities 
have become much more accessible, thanks to the ADA, several 
said. Ed Herrick, for example, reported that his local grocery 
store is getting shopping carts that will hook onto his 
wheelchair. Others credited stores with making their aisles wide 
enough for a wheelchair to pass through.       
     Michelle Campbell, of Salina, told of having to sit at the 
entrance to a store because her wheelchair could not fit inside. 
"A clerk or a friend would have to bring items to me," says 
Campbell. "But now I can get in, and clerks and waitresses ask me 
what I want instead of asking the person with me what I want!" 
     Jeff Simon related that in his town of Osborne there was no 
accessible optometrist. "I advocated with others to make the 
optometrist's office accessible. It's now being remodeled to 
comply with the ADA," Simon said. Simon finds that "as a person 
with a disability, I find the best part of ADA is gaining access 
to somewhere I've never been before." 
     Amy Ritter can get around her town of Osage City by herself 
now, thanks to the ADA. A wheelchair user, Ritter can take 
advantage of downtown curb cuts and can now avoid having to move 
her wheelchair through street traffic. 
     Entertainment and recreation have also become more 
accessible as a result of the ADA. Teresa Rundell, who has a 
hearing impairment, enjoys visiting Salina's Community Art Center 
by using its 'self-directed' audio tours. Ed Brungardt expressed 
his pleasure that he can go out to eat with co-workers who use 
wheelchairs. 
     Travel has become easier for people with disabilities since 
the ADA, according to several Kansans. "My husband and I love to 
travel," says Jo Ann Buche, a wheelchair user. "And since the 
ADA, attitudes of hotel managers toward accommodating 
disabilities have improved a great deal."
     Sharon Joseph described her pleasure in working with the 
owner of the White Haven Motor Lodge in Overland Park. The motel 
was not accessible and Joseph contacted the owner to explain 
Title III of the ADA. "The owner went way beyond what was readily 
achievable to make his motel a model of accessibility," said 
Joseph. "He was an astute business person who was responding to a 
lethargic market by expanding his customer base to include people 
with disabilities," she said.
     Overall, life for people with disabilities is better with 
the ADA, summed up Brenda Henry. "Because of the ADA," she said, 
"I have more of the opportunities that other people have. Now I 
feel like a participant in life, not a spectator," she said.

Common Threads

The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers:
        The ADA has dramatically improved employment 
        opportunities. There is less discrimination in hiring, 
        and ADA's 'reasonable accommodation' requirement enables 
        people with disabilities to acquire the tools they need 
        to work.
        
        Some communities, like Lawrence, are doing more than 
        required to comply with ADA. Others are resisting making 
        the changes needed to comply.
        
        The public is much more aware of people with disabilities 
        and their needs than before the ADA.
        
        Businesses are realizing it makes good business sense to 
        make their establishments accessible.
        
        The ADA has allowed many people with disabilities to live 
        independently.
        
        More people with disabilities are working and enjoying 
        being taxpayers rather than receiving government aid.


                  NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
                  50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                      KENTUCKY SUMMARY REPORT
               FEBRUARY 7, 1995

Host organization: Department of Employment Services
NCD Member: Jack Gannon

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in Kentucky?

     When it comes to employment and transportation, Kentuckians 
are thankful for the changes the ADA has made in their lives. 
Speakers also addressed many other changes the ADA has 
brought--changes that are making people with disabilities part of 
mainstream, everyday life.
     Before the ADA, looking for a job was much harder," stated 
Jerry Wheatley.  "It's not easy now, but it's better" he said. 
Wheatley believes the ADA has raised the awareness of employers, 
making them more receptive to hiring people with disabilities. 
     An unidentified woman commented that with the ADA in effect, 
she is not asked about her disability when applying for a job. "I 
thank the ADA for making organizations and businesses aware that 
they can't discriminate," she added.
     Diane Brewer is looking forward to making use of the 
employment provisions of the ADA. After working as a nurse for 20 
years, she became mentally ill and is now learning to live 
independently again. Eager to get back into the workforce, Brewer 
believes that everyone has his or her learning style and level, 
and that "everyone can contribute."
     In order to make their contribution in the workplace, people 
need to be able to get to work, of course. And the availability 
of accessible public transportation is increasing, as a result of 
the ADA. Roy Siden is a Lexington resident who had spent years 
trying to get wheelchair lifts installed on city buses. "Without 
the ADA I didn't have a chance," he said. "But now that the ADA 
is law, lifts are being installed, and I'll be able to get to 
work and
shopping," he exclaimed. Siden maintains that the transportation 
provisions of the ADA will reduce the welfare rolls, since more 
people with disabilities will be able to get to work.
     Another provision of the law calls for accessibility to all 
state and local government services. And Kentucky is working hard 
to comply, according to Sharon Fields, Special Advisor to the 
Governor on ADA. Herself legally blind, Fields trains and works 
with each state agency's ADA coordinator. "All state buildings 
are being made accessible," she said, "and the tunnel from the 
state capitol to the annex has been equipped with chair lifts on 
each flight of steps." State employees are offered sign language 
classes, and state agencies have access to a Braille printer. 
"Most of these changes would not have taken place without the 
ADA," admits Fields. 
     In addition to opening doors to employment, transportation, 
and government services, the ADA can also help dispel the 
prejudice that often prevents people with disabilities from 
becoming homeowners. Danny Carroll described his experience in 
buying a home recently. Because of his mental illness, the lender 
was reluctant to do business with him. "They wanted to know all 
about my disability, my diagnosis, and my prognosis, even though 
I have been taking care of business for 29 years," he said. 
Carroll hired a lawyer and proceeded to educate the lending 
agency about mental illness and the ADA. "If it weren't for the 
ADA, I wouldn't be living in my own house today," he said. 
Carroll also stressed that the ADA is not about special 
privileges, but only about extending to people with disabilities 
the same rights that others enjoy.
     By including mental illness and substance abuse problems in 
the definition of disability, the ADA has paved the way for many 
to get much needed help. Wayne Brock, of Bowling Green, had been 
diagnosed for mental illness and substance abuse. "Before the 
ADA," he said, "substance abuse programs were not paid for by 
insurance, but now they are." Brock attributes the fact that he 
has been free of alcohol and drugs for eight months in part to 
the ADA.
     ADA's existence has helped reinforced earlier disability 
civil rights laws. So, even though the ADA does not address 
education specifically, accessibility changes that should have 
been made years ago in education are coming about. Mary Ann 
Westerdale, for
example, told how her son, thanks in part to the ADA, is now a 
college freshman at Eastern Kentucky University. Westerdale's son 
has muscular dystrophy and uses a  wheelchair. Now that curb cuts 
have been made around campus, and buildings are accessible, her 
son can look forward to getting his degree and becoming a 
contributing member of society. She also added appreciatively 
that Richmond, the town in which EKU is located, has become more 
accessible as well. "My son is no longer an outsider," Westerdale 
said, "because he can participate in activities both on and off 
campus, thanks to the ADA."
     Another college student, Susanne Hoffman of Northern 
Kentucky University, credited the ADA with creating a sympathetic 
climate that allows her to pursue her education. Suffering from a 
chronic pain disorder, Hoffman finds it impossible to attend all 
of her classes. When she had problems with instructors who 
maintained a strict attendance policy, she complained to the 
university. Thanks to an awareness that she attributes partly to 
the ADA, the university responded by sending a letter to all 
faculty members urging them to adopt a flexible attendance policy 
for students whose disabilities make perfect attendance a 
hardship. Hoffman also credits the ADA with giving her and others 
in her community the courage to form an advocacy group to talk to 
business owners and others in their community about access.
     Perhaps the most important benefit of the ADA is that it 
provides people with disabilities a valuable tool to act on their 
own to increase accessibility. Howard Fuetterer, who uses a 
wheelchair, reported that whenever he finds a facility that is 
inaccessible, he explains the ADA to the building manager and 
recommends what should be done to make the place accessible. 
Ramps, curb cuts, and handicapped parking spaces have all been 
installed as a result of Fuetterer's efforts. But some business 
owners and building managers ignore his recommendations. "I come 
back to check on how the changes are going. Once they see that 
I'm serious about making sure the law is enforced, they usually 
start making changes," emphasized Fuetterer. He believes that 
most people want to accommodate people with disabilities when 
they know what they can do to help.


Common Threads

The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers:
        The ADA has opened many doors that previously were closed 
        to people with disabilities.
        
        Public awareness about disabilities has grown a great 
        deal.
        
        More people with disabilities now have the courage to 
        advocate for themselves. Some have even organized 
        disability rights advocacy groups. 
        
        Employment opportunities for people with disabilities 
        have increased, thanks to improvements in public 
        transportation and changes in the job application 
        process.
         
        Higher education is now more accessible to people with 
        disabilities.


                  NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
                  50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                     LOUISIANA SUMMARY REPORT
               FEBRUARY 16, 1995


Host organization: University of New Orleans, Division of Public 
Service Training
NCD Member: Mary Raether

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in Louisiana?

     Louisianans have had a variety of successes with the ADA. 
Especially when it comes to public accommodations, many people 
with disabilities say they see a big difference in Louisiana 
since the ADA. Donna Clark praised Jefferson Parish for its 
enforcement of the use of special parking for people with 
disabilities. "It makes a difference in where I shop," she says. 
Certainly businesses that make sure accessible parking is 
available gain the patronage of people with disabilities.
     Public accommodations for people with hearing impairments 
have improved a great deal since the ADA, Lynette Linker told 
those in attendance. Linker recalled a time before the ADA when 
she was a student at Gallaudet University in Washington, DC. Her 
plane landed at the Baltimore airport, rather than at Washington 
National, and she could not call her parents because there was no 
TTY in the airport. But things have changed. Linker then told 
about a recent trip she took to Seattle for a wedding. Her plane 
was delayed, but all Linker had to do was go to the airport TTY 
and phone her friends to make arrangements to be picked up at a 
later time. "What a relief," sighed Linker. "Life's been easier 
since the ADA."
     New Orleans hotels and motels have also become more 
accessible as a result of the ADA, according to people who 
testified. "Hotels are moving to capture this segment of the 
market," said Charles Tubre of New Orleans. "And the result? 
Increased business!" Tubre
went on to say that the fact that many organizations are 
requiring accessible accommodations when they book major meetings 
and conferences is adding further economic incentive for hotels 
to comply with the ADA.
     In addition to public accommodations, recreation has also 
become more accessible to people with disabilities, thanks to the 
increased consciousness about disabilities that the ADA has 
brought about. Mary LeBlanc, ADA Coordinator for the City of 
Westwego, explained that she and the Westwego government are 
turning 100 acres that were once an airport into an accessible 
park. Called the WHARF Project (Westwego Handicapped Accessible 
Recreational Facility), the park will offer a stocked fishing 
pond. "There will be piers and boat launches that can accommodate 
wheelchairs," she said, "and near the pond will be an accessible 
area for cleaning, cooking, and eating fish."  There will also be 
accessible cabins, chartered excursions for people with 
disabilities and their families, and a sensory botanical garden 
that people with visual impairments can enjoy. LeBlanc's office 
is also planning to create an accessible trail from the park to 
the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park, about a mile away.
      Louisiana Outdoorsmen with Disabilities Inc President 
Fleming Trosclair stated that his organization, run by people 
with disabilities for people with disabilities, is working with 
the state Parks and Recreation Department to make sporting 
facilities accessible. "The head of the department is all for 
it," Trosclair says, "but I tell you, without the ADA, we 
wouldn't have achieved none of it. The ADA has made authorities 
aware that we exist. And we're not going away!"
     Children with disabilities are also enjoying more 
opportunities for outdoor recreation, thanks to the ADA. Pat 
Johnson, Director of the Jefferson Parish Office for Citizens 
with Disabilities, explained that the publicly-run camps have 
been opened to all children, non-disabled and disabled alike. "It 
was scary the first time a disabled kid wanted to go to one of 
the parish camps, but now all children are welcome at all of our 
camps," she said.
     Some speakers pointed to improvements in employment 
opportunities for people with disabilities. Pat Johnson has 
worked with employers and employees to ensure the success of 
people with disabilities in the workplace. "Sign language 
interpreters have been provided for
applicants and employees alike," she said, "and a number of other 
reasonable accommodations have been made to enable people to do 
their jobs." Through the ADA, Johnson has been able to help 
several people who have recently become disabled to keep their 
jobs. "It's better to keep someone in the workforce," she said, 
"not to hand them a check and have them sit at home." 
     Overall, people expressed a great deal of appreciation for 
the fact that the ADA exists. Yadi Mark, a wheelchair user who 
works for the Paralyzed Veterans of America, proclaimed that 
barriers are slowly coming down. "Even though we had the 
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, it took the ADA to make real change," 
she said. Mark says she can now expect accessibility in services 
and lodging. And she put it well when she commented, "The ADA has 
given me hope, independence, and dignity." 

Common Threads

The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers:
        Hotels and motels have recognized that accessibility 
        means more business for them and are making their 
        facilities accessible.
        
        The number and quality of outdoor recreational facilities 
        accessible to people with disabilities have increased 
        dramatically.
        
        Accommodations made for people with hearing impairments 
        have given them independence at work and when traveling.
        
        Education and self-advocacy have proven very effective in 
        making change.


                  NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
                  50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                       MAINE SUMMARY REPORT
                MARCH 16, 1995


Host organization: Alpha One, Center for Independent Living
NCD Member: Bonnie O'Day

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in Maine?

     Maine residents addressed changes the ADA has made in their 
lives in such areas as recreation, shopping, travel, and 
employment. But some also talked about the law as something more. 
"The ADA has made my life healthier," reported Deborah Williams, 
who uses a wheelchair. "I firmly believe that the expansion of my 
opportunities has strengthened my physical body and given me 
improved health," she says. Williams, who says her life before 
the ADA did not look very hopeful, now runs her own bookkeeping 
business.
     Other speakers also reported that the ADA has increased 
their self-confidence, their enjoyment of life, and their hope 
for the future. "The ADA is a confidence builder," remarked 
Deborah Gardner. 
     When it comes to recreation, the ADA has brought many 
changes. Carl Burnett, a 13 year old who uses a wheelchair, 
described the difficulty he used to have on the Maine coast 
during the summer. Just three stairs and an inaccessible bathroom 
kept him from enjoying the local recreation center with other 
kids his age. "But a few hundred dollars worth of renovations 
made the place accessible, and now I can play games there and 
take a boat out when I want to," said Burnett.
     The miniature golf course near Burnett's home has also been 
made accessible. "A wheelchair user protested the golf course's 
inaccessibility," said Burnett, "so the owner fully
ramped the place, and my brother had his birthday party there. I 
could get all around the place," said Burnett. 
     Thanks to attitudinal changes due at least in part to the 
ADA, some recreational activities are being made accessible from 
the outset. Laurie Brink, the mother of a four year old who uses 
a wheelchair, takes advantage of an accessible indoor play area 
near her home. "The Discovery Zone is ramped, so my son can play 
there with his brother." Brink also described a bowling alley her 
family frequents because it is equipped with a ramp as well as a 
mechanism to enable wheelchair users to bowl. "It didn't cost 
much to make the bowling alley accessible," says Brink, "but if 
it weren't for the ADA, the changes wouldn't have been made." 
     The number of places that are accessible or in the process 
of becoming so is growing, commented an unidentified speaker. She 
cited the Portland Children's Museum, the Portland Civic Center, 
and seating at Portland Sea Dogs games. She also notices that 
stores have instituted wider aisles, automatic door openers, and 
Braille signage. "These changes wouldn't have happened without 
the ADA," she said.
     "Store owners are more aware of boxes and displays that can 
block the way than they used to be," commented Robert Sudheimer.  
Sudheimer, who is 73, has relied on personal care attendants for 
many years, but recently he has been traveling 15,000 miles a 
year in his volunteer efforts to spread the word about the ADA. 
Since the ADA's passage, he has noticed signs in stores 
encouraging shoppers who need help to ask. A deaf woman, Jan de 
Vinney, noted that "store clerks have become more willing to use 
a pen and paper to communicate with me."
     The ADA is helping to remove barriers to vacation travel.  
Jennifer Eckle of the Northeast ADA Technical Assistance Center 
explained that Maine's hotel industry has become more accepting 
of service animals. Eckle got a call from a man who had made a 
hotel reservation. But when he told the owner he was blind and 
had a service dog, he was told no pets were allowed. Although the 
man explained that his dog is a worker, not a pet, he got 
nowhere. But with support from the statewide innkeepers' trade 
association, the hotel owner was sent information about service 
animals and the ADA. "Upon learning that the
ADA provides for service animals, the owner turned around 
completely and welcomed the man and his service dog. Information 
about the law made the difference, and Eckle is planning an ADA 
training with the innkeepers' group.
     Several speakers commented that the ADA has expanded 
employment opportunities for people with a range of disabilities. 
The law is particularly beneficial, however, for people with 
psychiatric disabilities, according to Kim Livingstone of Maine 
Advocacy Services. She finds the ADA a useful tool both during 
the application process and on the job. "With ADA protection," 
she says, "people don't have to answer questions regarding mental 
illness." In the past, such questioning usually meant an 
applicant with a psychiatric disability had to lie or probably 
not get the job. "The ADA is also a useful tool in helping people 
with psychiatric disabilities keep their jobs through reasonable 
accommodation," she said.
     An important point was raised about the cost of compliance. 
In written testimony, James Seavey, President of the Savers 
Federal Credit Union in Sankford wrote that he had been unable to 
fathom the effort and money ADA compliance would entail. But the 
ramp, widened doors, and accessible teller line recommended by  
Alpha I cost between $5,000-$7,000. Mr. Seavey wrote that the 
improvements have brought in new members who had not previously 
had access and have made access easier for elderly members. 

Common Threads

The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers.
        Various forms of recreation are more accessible.
        People are much more aware of the needs and rights of 
        those with disabilities.
        Merchants are more willing to accommodate customers with 
        disabilities.
        People with disabilities are making gains in employment.

                  NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
                  50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                      MARYLAND SUMMARY REPORT
                  MAY 9, 1995


Host organization: Maryland Department of Rehabilitation Services

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in Maryland?

     Citizens gathered in the Maryland Rehabilitation Center 
(MRC) to tell their stories about the impacts the ADA has had on 
their lives. First on most people's list was employment. The ADA 
has been a boon in the efforts of people with disabilities to 
find work and succeed on the job.
     "I'm very thankful for the ADA," said Ronald Baxter, "for 
giving me the opportunity to present myself to employers in a 
positive manner. Baxter has a hidden disability, and he is glad 
for the protection the ADA provides him against personal, probing 
questions about his disability. "Instead of focusing on my 
disability, the interview process can focus on my ability to do 
the job," Baxter stated. 
     Rhonda Elsy-Jones, who was once fired for her disability, 
says that "with the ADA I don't have to answer a job 
interviewer's questions about my disability. I'm glad I don't 
have to worry about that anymore," she said.
     Joan Ross, an instructor in office technology at the 
Maryland Rehab Center, has noticed a significant change in the 
people who are going through MRC's training program these days. 
"Since the ADA, clients know their rights. The ADA gives them the 
confidence they need to succeed," she said. And it's a good 
feeling, she says, when former clients come back to visit as 
employees. "The ADA works," Ross says. "I've seen it!"
     Bonnie Noel, a job developer for Key Point, Inc., says the 
ADA is making a positive difference in her efforts to help her 
clients with disabilities find employment. She finds that
employers are increasingly receptive to hiring people with 
disabilities. "I take my hat off to the ADA," she said.
     Once hired, people with disabilities are experiencing 
success in the workplace. "I like my job," said Kerby Hill, who 
works in the Braille production unit of the Maryland 
Rehabilitation Center. Hill, who is blind, thanks former 
President Bush for signing the ADA into law. "Otherwise it would 
have been tougher to get a job in my field," Hill said.
     "The ADA has made my job more comfortable," said Roger 
Harrison, who works for the Maryland Highway Administration. 
Special parking and flexible work hours allow Harrison to fulfill 
his work role. "It's awfully nice to know the ADA is there when 
you need it," he said.
     Jessica Skintges says that in her work she needs a computer 
she can talk to. "Employers never bat an eye about getting it for 
me," she says. And of the ADA, she says, "It's a comfort to know 
it's there, and that it protects me from discrimination."
     David Scott says he owes his job at the Maryland Highway 
Administration to the ADA and the MRC. "The ADA brought me to 
realize I could do something with my life and not just be an 
invalid," he said. 
     In addition to bringing about important gains in employment 
for people with disabilities, the ADA has also made public 
accommodations much more accessible, several speakers said.
     Marsha Dryden, who felt she had lost everything after 
beconing paralyzed from a car accident, now finds much to enjoy. 
"I want to thank the ADA," she said. "Now I can go out with my 
children to restaurants and movies. I'm not limited to my home 
any more." It was her faith and the ADA that made her feel whole 
again after her accident, Dryden believes.
     Robert Moors remembers when his wheelchair-using friend 
could not ride the bus, go to church, shop, eat out, go to the 
movies, or even get into his apartment without help. "But since 
the ADA I can go to the movies with friends in wheelchairs and 
not be turned away," he said. "The ADA has allowed people with 
disabilities to participate more fully in life," said Moors.
     When he could not get into a major shopping mall in his 
area, Walter Truelove asked why there was no automatic door. The 
answer, not surprisingly, was "no money." Truelove informed the 
mall manager about the public accommodations title of the ADA, 
"and three months later there was an automatic door to the mall," 
said Truelove.
     While many, many people with disabilities are benefiting 
from the ADA today, Linton wisely commented that there will be a 
clear need in the United States for the ADA in the future as 
well. "There will always be disabled people to varying degrees," 
he commented.

Common Threads

The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers:
        The employment interview process is more fair to people 
        with disabilities than it was in the past because it 
        allows people to focus on what they can do, rather than 
        on present or past disabilities.
        
        Employers are becoming more receptive to hiring people 
        with disabilities.
        
        Through the 'reasonable accommodation' provision of the 
        ADA, many people with disabilities are able to obtain 
        modifications in their work environment and schedule that 
        allow them to work effectively.
        
        People with disabilities feel more confident that they 
        can succeed.
          
        People with disabilities who thought they would never be 
        able to work are now holding down jobs and performing 
        well.
        
        Restaurants, movies, and other social and entertainment 
        activities are more accessible.
        
        Public transportation for people with disabilities has 
        improved. 

                  NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
                  50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                   MASSACHUSETTS SUMMARY REPORT
                MARCH 22, 1995


Host organization: Boston Center for Independent Living
NCD Member: Bonnie O'Day

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in Massachusetts?

     According to Massachusetts residents, the ADA has affected 
them in many positive ways. ADA has brought about greater access 
to employment, transportation, and the arts. In addition, people 
with often overlooked disabilities such as psychiatric 
disabilities, and chemical sensitivities have also benefited from 
the law.
     To Butch Towne's employer, his wheelchair is not an issue. 
Towne reports that his employer, retail chain Home Depot, is 
committed to complying with the ADA. "I am treated like any other 
employee," he says, "and whenever I let my supervisor know about 
barriers at work, they are removed." Towne recalls an occasion 
when his supervisor saw that Towne could not reach the time clock 
because a cabinet was in the way. "My supervisor yanked out the 
cabinet when he realized it blocked my reach," Towne said.
     Transportation has also improved as a result of the ADA, 
people reported. Denise Karuth is one who benefits from the ADA 
requirement that private bus companies provide accessible buses 
for intercity travel. Karuth explained that the Intercity Bus 
Capital Assistance Program, a Massachusetts public-private 
partnership, has enabled bus companies to obtain new, 
wheelchair-accessible buses much more inexpensively than they 
could get them on the open market. "Most people would not think 
that a blind person who uses a wheelchair could travel 
independently, hold a job, and be a taxpayer," says Karuth. "But 
the
transportation access requirements of the ADA allow me to make my 
220 mile commute to Boston from my home in Northampton several 
times a month."  
     Local transportation has also improved as a result of the 
ADA. Michael Muehe, Commissioner for Persons with Disabilities in 
Cambridge, reported that the Metropolitan Boston Transit 
Authority (MBTA) has committed to purchasing accessible trolley 
cars and to making 85 key stations accessible. "And thanks to the 
ADA's requirement of accessible public transportation," Muehe 
stated, "the MBTA ended its policy of refusing to allow people 
with walkers to use the wheelchair lifts in the stations."
     The arts too are more accessible, thanks to the ADA, reports 
Charlie Washburn. Washburn, who is hearing impaired, described 
the Massachusetts Cultural Council's ADA minigrant series. The 
council is making 50 small grants available to arts organizations 
that make their programs accessible to people with disabilities. 
Such a program would not have come about, according to Washburn, 
were it not for the growing public awareness of disabilities that 
has come about as a result of the ADA.
     The ADA recognizes psychiatric disabilities, just as it 
recognizes a variety of physical disabilities. Judi Chamberlin, 
who has a psychiatric disability, works with a drop-in and 
advocacy center run by and for people with psychiatric 
disabilities. "The ADA is an important law for all of us," she 
says, "including people with psychiatric disabilities."  By 
including persons with psychiatric problems, the ADA helps remove 
the stigma of such problems, Chamberlin believes.
     Another group most people do not think of when they consider 
disabilities are those who are chemically sensitive. "Thanks to 
the ADA and its provision for reasonable accommodation in the 
workplace, many people with chemical sensitivities are able to 
remain employed," said Jean Lemieux, whose chemical sensitivity 
stems from a work-related injury. And because of an increased 
awareness of disabilities, a conference that dealt with issues of 
concern to people with chemical sensitivities included several 
chemically-sensitive speakers who participated through a TV 
hook-up. The arrangement gave people with chemical sensitivities 
a chance to educate others.
     Pat Dolan is part of a support group for people with 
multiple chemical sensitivities. "Without the ADA, I wouldn't 
have been able to find accessible treatment," says Dolan. One 
hospital's awareness of the need to make health care services 
accessible allowed Dolan to participate in a program that, she 
believes, had a tremendously positive effect on her life and 
health.
     Truly, the ADA has made a difference to many people in a 
number of ways. "I have a disability, and so do my spouse, kids, 
parents, and sibling," said John Winske, Director of the 
Massachusetts Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities. He cited 
many ways in which the ADA has had a positive impact including 
accessible transportation to work, and signs in stores inviting 
people with disabilities to ask for help if they need it. 
     Winske, a Little League coach, also used the ADA to defend 
his right to be on the field in his wheelchair. After three years 
of coaching and being accepted by parents and kids alike, he was 
told by the League president that his wheelchair was not allowed 
on the field. Winske believed such a rule was a violation of his 
civil rights under the ADA. He researched case law and found an 
Arizona case which determined that a person in a wheelchair could 
be on a playing field.

Common Threads

The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers.
        Many businesses and citizens are eager to learn about and 
        to help implement the ADA.
        
        The reasonable accommodation requirement in the 
        employment portion of ADA (Title I) has increased 
        employment opportunities for people with disabilities.
    

                  NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
                  50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                      MICHIGAN SUMMARY REPORT
                MARCH 31, 1995


Host organization: Great Lakes Center for Independent Living and 
Oakland-Macomb Center for Independent Living
NCD Member: Kate Wolters

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in Michigan?

     A large and diverse group of Michigan residents gathered to 
tell their ADA success stories to NCD. People had many positive 
experiences to report in the area of employment, and many also 
reported that significant improvements have been made in public 
accommodations as well. And many citizens testified that overall 
awareness of and receptivity to persons with disabilities has 
improved greatly.
     Throughout the employment process, things are going better 
these days for people with disabilities. "Looking for a job is 
much easier than it was in prior years," stated Ann Greco, who 
has had a disability for 15 years. "Interviewers are much more 
careful to ask me only employment-related questions. They don't 
ask about my disability or how I'm going to get to work," she 
said.
     When Mario Elliott went to take a typing test as part of a 
job application process, he had to take the test sitting sideways 
because his wheelchair would not fit under the typing table. "I 
failed the test because of my awkward position, but I asked if I 
could retake the test under better conditions." Elliott's request 
was granted. He retook the test at a table that can be raised or 
lowered, and he passed.
     Claudia Jones, a vocational counselor for the Michigan 
Commission for the Blind, agrees that finding a job is easier for 
people with disabilities now that the ADA is in effect.
"ADA has had an impact on our ability to place people in jobs for 
which they are competitive," she said. "Employers are expressing 
a desire to know about what blind people can do and how they do 
it." Jones explains the assistive technologies available and 
finds that employers are receptive.
     Michelle Rose says she owes her job to the ADA. "But what's 
even better," she said, "is that once I'm on the job I don't have 
to be afraid my disability will be discovered." Rose feels she 
can be honest about her disability, and she has been able to get 
the accommodation she needs--permission to take vacation days 
when her disability requires her to rest. 
     Indeed, getting the word out about the wide range of 
assistive technologies available today has made a difference in 
employers' receptivity to hiring persons with disabilities, 
according to Larry Patton, who works for IBM. Patton runs Tech 
2000, a center at which he shows employers and managers various 
assistive technologies that can help people with different 
disabilities perform well in the workplace. "When they come in 
for the half-day course," said Patton, most employers don't know 
what's available. But once they find out about these assistive 
technologies, they're more open about hiring people with 
disabilities. The ADA helps everyone," says Patton.
     Several Michigan employers were cited as very willing to 
comply with the ADA. "At General Motors if you need an 
accommodation to do your job, it will be provided," said Paul 
Ulrich, a wheelchair user who has worked at GM for 30 years.  
Ulrich described a recent new employee, a woman with a bone 
disorder, who needed a power door to get into the bathroom. "Ten 
days after her need was made known, the accommodation was made," 
said Ulrich. And while GM has a history of responsiveness to 
employees with disabilities, "the ADA has created a positive new 
atmosphere," he said.
     In spite of employers' concerns about the costs of complying 
with the ADA, compliance actually saves money, according to Chuck 
Roberts. A social worker and a founder of the Michigan Head 
Injury Alliance, Roberts told of a 35-year old man who had been 
out of work for several years because his ankle had been crushed 
in an accident, and he suffered pain for years afterward. The 
employer wanted to settle the case by paying the man $30,000. 
"But we told the company there might be problems with the ADA if 
they didn't try
to bring him back to work," said Roberts. The man was retrained 
and went back to work in a different job. In less than two months 
he was back at his old job with no accommodation needed. "Getting 
him back on the job cost $18,000," said Roberts, "which means the 
company saved $12,000, or much more if the man had collected 
workers' compensation on a permanent disability. The ADA saves 
companies money," Roberts said.
     While employment is a key area covered by the ADA, public 
accommodations are also important, according to Michigan 
citizens. Willy Brown recounted his experience of entering the 
Mr. Black International Male pageant in Detroit. "They called me 
and told me to bring a pair of dress shoes to the rehearsal 
because they were going to teach us guys to glide across the 
floor." Brown, a wheelchair user, responded that he's been 
gliding across the floor for years. "But when they saw me," he 
said, "they said I didn't fit the pageant criteria." Brown, who 
had a copy of the eligibility criteria with him, read it aloud 
and found nothing in it about wheelchair users. "I told them 
about the ADA, and they figured they'd better let me compete. 
Brown went on to win the pageant.
     The ADA gives people with disabilities the power to advocate 
for accommodations that are readily achievable. Through his own 
efforts, Donald Anderson persuaded an Ann Arbor restaurant to put 
in a ramp and a university auditorium to accommodate his 
wheelchair. "A lot of times I feel free to advocate because I 
know I have the law on my side. With the ADA," he said, "I don't 
have to depend on other people's good intentions. 
     An unidentified speaker described an experience he had soon 
after the ADA was enacted. He entered a music store but found the 
aisles too narrow to accommodate his wheelchair. "I could have 
gone to another store instead," he said, "but with the ADA in 
place, I decided to speak up." As a result, the store was 
remodeled. Racks and displays were moved so that a person in a 
wheelchair could shop there. "The ADA's a powerful law," the 
speaker said, "It enables me to speak up and get reasonable 
accommodations."
     Although the ADA has no power over attitudes, they are 
changing for the better, many speakers said. Churches, for 
example, are not covered by the ADA, but many are making their 
facilities accessible anyway. Another unidentified speaker 
described his experience with his church. At several places in 
the church--in the front, in the middle, and
in the back--the ends of the pews have been cut to create 
removable seating. "When I enter the church," said the speaker, a 
wheelchair user, "I can decide where I want to sit, and the usher 
will simply unsnap the end of the pew of the area where I want to 
be."      
     Nancy Fountain, a student at Baker College, wrote a paper 
for a government class on the ADA and how it had not been 
implemented at her college. "The professor took my paper to the 
administration, and they made the changes I asked for," she said. 
"They put in cups at the water fountain, installed an accessible 
door, and more," she said, "all voluntarily."

Common Threads
The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers:
        Attitudes toward people with disabilities are improving. 
        People are becoming more comfortable and helpful.
        
        The job application process is changing, so that 
        qualified applicants cannot be disqualified simply 
        because of a disability.
        
        Employers are becoming more receptive to hiring people 
        with disabilities. They are becoming aware that most 
        accommodations are inexpensive.
        
        Travel is getting easier for people with disabilities. 
        More hotels are accessible.


                  NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
                  50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                     MINNESOTA SUMMARY REPORT
                 MAY 10, 1995


Host organization: Minnesota Council on Disability
NCD Member: Kate Wolters

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in Minnesota?

     So many Minnesotans wanted to speak about the ADA's impact 
on their lives that this Town Meeting ran longer than the time 
allotted. Public accommodations are the area in which the 
greatest effects of the Act seem to be felt, followed by 
employment, transportation, and communication.
     One public accommodation that has become much more 
accessible since the ADA is shopping. And perhaps the epitome of 
disability awareness is the Mall of America. Dorothy Balen, who 
uses a wheelchair, says she sees a lot of people with 
disabilities at the Mall. "But what surprised me," she said, "was 
when I stopped at Sears and a woman in a wheelchair asked if she 
could help me. She worked there!"
     Marjorie Hammargren has been increasing access to shopping  
and has been having fun doing it. When she was shopping at 
Dayton's, a Minneapolis department store, "the racks were so 
close together that I could barely get my wheelchair down the 
lingerie aisle," she said. Hammargren did manage to get her 
wheelchair down the aisle, but only after ending up covered in 
bras, panties, and slips. "When I came into the light, I was in 
the millinery section," she said, where Hammargren and a 
saleswoman had a good laugh. Hammargren explained to the 
saleswoman how difficult it is for wheelchair users to shop when 
the aisles are so close together and suggested that some 
merchandise be moved or eliminated, so that the racks could be 
moved farther apart. "When I went back to Dayton's a
few weeks later," recounted Hammargren, "the millinery section 
was gone, and the lingerie was more spread out. And it was much 
easier to shop," she added.
     Hammargren also recalled staying in a motel with her sister 
not long ago. "The owner tried to charge us more because of my 
wheelchair," she explained. "But my sister said, 'No! You can't! 
There's a law now!' We didn't pay extra either," exclaimed 
Hammargren.
     The ADA has also made vacation travel easier for 10 year old 
Freddy Leuchovious and his family.   Freddy has spina bifida and 
uses a motorized wheelchair and sign language.  Freddy's mother, 
Deborah Leuchovious pointed out that Mystery Cave, a tourist 
attraction in southeast Minnesota "had been made completely 
accessible," so now all in her family can enjoy it.
     Theater is another public accommodation that is opening up 
to people with disabilities. Eric Peterson, who is blind,  
enthusiastically described the state community theater 
association's first fully accessible festival, held recently. 
"Access to community theater is important," said Peterson, 
"because theater is a wonderful way to be part of a community." 
Peterson concluded his comments by quoting Blanche Dubois of "A 
Streetcar Named Desire" when she breathed, "I've always depended 
on the kindness of strangers." "But," added Peterson, "I'm glad I 
no longer have to depend on the kindness of strangers, thanks to 
the ADA!"
     In addition to theater and other forms of enjoyment, outdoor 
recreational activities are also becoming more available to 
people with disabilities. Sharon Van Winkle described two 
important changes in her community of Plymouth, an outlying 
suburb of Minneapolis. Van Winkle, who is paraplegic, is pleased 
that local ice skating rinks have been made accessible. "The 
Parks Department plows snow out onto the ice, so we can drive 
onto it, and then we just get out of the car and enjoy the ice in 
our wheelchairs," she said. She cited the wonder of experiencing 
the ice for the first time.
     While ice skating is accessible in the winter, Plymouth's 
beaches are accessible in the summer. The town has made two 
lakefront beaches accessible by the use of ramps. "Even the water 
is accessible," Van Winkle explained, "through the use of 
portable ramps that can be moved according to the height of the 
water."
     While access to recreation, shopping, and other forms of 
public accommodations is important to a full life, employment is 
also vital. And the ADA's employment provisions are one of the 
most important contributions the Act makes to people with 
disabilities and to employers. Changes in the hiring process 
brought about by the law have made a big difference to Mike 
Arieta. "I could present myself and the accommodation I needed to 
the employer," said Arieta. "It was a chance to open up, and the 
employer could brainstorm with me regarding how best to 
accommodate my disability."
     People with disabilities make good employees. Jim Baxter, of 
the state government, explained that 14 of his 46 employees have 
disabilities. Not only are the 14 disabled employees good 
workers, but Baxter found that accommodation has been cheap. "The 
most we have ever spent to accommodate an employee was $1,900," 
he said. "A much bigger cost is educating managers about the ADA, 
about attitudes and awareness," Baxter added.
     Melissa Beilke, of the Central Minnesota Center for 
Independent Living, has worked with a number of disabled 
individuals who have been successfully accommodated. She 
described the successes of three of them. One, a woman who lost a 
hand in a non-work related accident, needed several 
accommodations to return to work--a telephone headset, a modified 
computer keyboard, and some furniture rearranged in her office, 
according to Beilke. The woman's employer, a local government, 
made all the accommodations, "and the woman has been an exemplary 
employee," explained Beilke.
     Next, Beilke described a man who had a stroke-like 
impairment that made him partially paralyzed and subject to 
seizures. "But he was able to retain a competitive wage job," 
said Beilke. The man worked in a bindery, and the accommodations 
were all simple and cost nothing. "But however simple the 
accommodations were," she said, "they wouldn't have been provided 
without the ADA to back them up."
     Beilke's third example was a young man whose disability 
prevented him from reading. He worked in customer service at a 
grocery store, rounding up shopping carts and bagging groceries. 
The young man had a job coach with him at work until he felt 
comfortable performing all the tasks expected of him. 
     The ADA is a strong resourse when a person with a disability 
is discriminated against in the hiring process. Beilke described 
a client of the independent living center who applied for a job 
cleaning machines in a machine shop. "He was offered the job," 
she said, "and the employer enthusiastically showed him around 
the shop. But when my client told him he was taking medication 
for schizophrenia, the offer was rescinded on the spot." The 
client sought help from Beilke, who drafted a letter to the 
employer commenting that his action may have been a violation of 
the ADA. "Within 48 hours he was offered the job again," she 
stated.
     The city of Rochester also has an accessible public transit 
system, according to Dale Palton of the Southeast Minnesota 
Center for Independent Living. In the city's purchase of 
accessible buses, the ADA provided the leverage that Section 504 
could not, Palton explained. "Half of our buses are fully 
accessible," he said, "and evening and week-end routes also have 
accessible buses." 
     Access to public transportation really makes a difference to 
people. Gary Smolik, a wheelchair user, says he owes his 
bachelor's and master's degrees in part to accessible public 
transit.
     Communications are another key area of life addressed by the 
ADA. The relay service, provided under Title IV, is very 
well-received. Michael Zeledon, a customer representative with 
the Minnesota Relay Service, commented, "I've been hearing so 
many success stories from relay users." Zeledon, who is deaf, 
explained that users often call to express their appreciation for 
being able to call friends, coworkers, the doctor, anyone, 
without having to get someone else to do it. "The relay has 
brought increased freedom, independence, and privacy," stated 
Zeledon.
     Bobbi Cordano, a lawyer who is deaf and who loves to travel, 
enjoys making use of TTYs in hotel rooms. "My parents are also 
deaf," she says, "and now I can just pick up the phone on a whim 
when I'm traveling and give them a call."




Common Threads

The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers:
        Local public transportation is more accessible, and 
        people are using it.
        Hotels are much more accessible than they were a few 
        years ago.
        All sorts of stores, restaurants, fitness centers, and 
        many other public places have been made accessible.
        
        People in wheelchairs are being seen in retail sales and 
        customer relations roles.

        Most workplace accommodations are inexpensive.


                  NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
                  50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                    MISSISSIPPI SUMMARY REPORT
               FEBRUARY 2, 1995


Host organization: Coalition for Citizens with Disabilities
NCD Member: Marca Bristo, Chairperson

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in Mississippi?

     Mississippians told NCD that the ADA has made a difference 
in their lives, especially for their children's future, and in 
education, employment, and entertainment.
     One parent, Linda Atwood, has taught her child about the ADA 
so that he can advocate for himself. Linda Atwood, president of 
the Learning Disabilities Association and the mother of a 14-year 
old who has motor skills problems, says, "My son knows the ADA 
and his rights, and he can now use the ADA and IDEA to get what 
he needs at school. Now his future looks good," she said.
     Another parent expressed her gratitude for the ADA. "My son 
and daughter will have the opportunity to choose who they will 
be," Evelyn Williams told NCD. Williams and both her children 
have disabilities, and she says she has made an effort to teach 
her children about their rights under the ADA. The ADA has opened 
so many doors that Williams believes her children will have more 
choices available to them than she herself had. And there is 
another benefit for Williams. "With the ADA, I finally have a 
role independent of my husband. I can get into buildings, go 
grocery shopping, all on my own now," she said.
     Lynn Armstrong, the mother of an eight-year old who is deaf, 
credits the ADA as well as the IDEA (Individuals with 
Disabilities Education Act) with making it possible for her son 
to get a good education. "He has had the opportunity to learn to 
read and become computer literate," said Armstrong. "The world 
has opened up to him with his ability to
obtain an education, read closed captioning, and gain access to 
interpreters." This mother went on to say that she does not 
consider ADA a costly mandate. Rather, she said it is preparing 
her son to become a taxpaying adult. 
     Deaf children and their parents benefit from the relay 
service, guaranteed by the ADA in each state. Albert Tusing, 
principal of a junior-senior high school for deaf students, 
praised the relay for allowing them to communicate by telephone 
with their hearing parents. "The relay makes people more 
independent," he commented. 
     Charli Carver and her husband, both of whom are deaf, have 
also benefited from the ADA. In addition to the relay service, 
interpreters have been important to them. Carver related an 
incident in which her husband was given a traffic ticket.  When 
he showed up in court, he told the judge that the ADA guarantees 
him an interpreter. He was given a second court date, "and an 
interpreter was there," she said.
     Although not deaf himself, Mark Palmer has benefited from 
the advances the ADA has offered people with hearing impairments. 
"I never got to be a child because I always had to interpret for 
my deaf parents," stated Palmer. He described the pressure he 
felt growing up having to hear and speak for his parents. In 
medical situations, with merchants, with the police, on the 
phone, even when he was sick, he was continually thrust into the 
adult role of having to take care of his parents' needs. Palmer 
recounted how difficult it was to make phone calls for his 
parents. "People often wouldn't respond to me because they knew I 
was a kid," he said. But today the situation is much improved. 
Palmer's parents use the relay service, and they watch captioned 
TV. "I am no longer required to make sure my parents' needs are 
met because they can do it themselves." 
     The ADA has made a difference in the area of employment. 
David Courtney is proud that he has been working at his job for 
almost five years. "In May I will celebrate my fifth anniversary 
of working, and they'll give me a gift because I'm dependable," 
he said. When Courtney was hired, he had a job coach who worked 
with him until he could perform proficiently. "I don't have to 
ask Mom for money because I have a paycheck," he said. "The ADA 
and IDEA will help other people to get a good education and go to 
work too," said Courtney.
     Donna Smith-Whitty credits the ADA with helping her get 
reading help and Braille services at work. "A successful person 
with a disability was once thought of as unusual," she said. "Now 
successful people with disabilities are the rule, and it's ADA 
that has opened the door."
     Several speakers addressed public accommodations and how 
they have become more accessible since the ADA was passed. "ADA 
has transformed the Mississippi Delta Blues Festival!" proclaimed 
John Brown. Brown, who had been an active participant in the 
annual festival for years, lost a leg in an accident in 1988. But 
after that his friends helped him by carrying him into the 
festival. When Brown called for making the festival accessible to 
other wheelchair users, he was ignored. He then filed a complaint 
with the Department of Justice, and since 1993 the festival has 
been accessible. "That year I saw lots of people in wheelchairs 
there. When they realized that finally the festival was 
accessible to them, they showed up," he enthusiastically 
recalled.
     "Because of the ADA, I can more and more enjoy life as a 
full citizen," remarked Kathy Harper, who has cerebral palsy and 
uses a wheelchair. Before the ADA, she could never be sure she 
would be able to get into public places. "I spent a lot of time 
waiting in the car or just staying home," she said. Harper 
credits the ADA with making it possible for her to enjoy going 
out with her friends.
Common Threads
The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers: 
        The ADA, in combination with the IDEA, have been 
        instrumental in making education and an independent 
        future possible for children with disabilities.
        
        Many people with disabilities feel they are truly 
        citizens for the first time.
        
        People with disabilities are more independent and can 
        rely on their own efforts in a variety of ways.
        
        The telephone relay system has made a difference to many 
        deaf people who no longer have to rely on a hearing 
        person to make and receive phone calls for them.
        
        Movies, concerts, and other forms of entertainment are 
        more accessible now.

                  NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
                  50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                      MISSOURI SUMMARY REPORT
                APRIL 12, 1995


Host organization: Governor's Council on Disability
NCD Member: Jamal Mazrui

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in Missouri?

     Missourians showed up at their Town Meeting to tell NCD of 
the many positive effects the ADA has had on their lives. In 
employment, access to activities in the community, and access to 
state and local government services, the ADA has been 
transforming.
     The employment provisions of the ADA have helped many people 
to stay employed. Teresa Stutes O'Neal told about how the ADA 
saved her job at a grocery store. O'Neal is manic depressive and 
takes lithium to keep her condition under control. "But the 
lithium slows me down," she said. "I was beginning to have 
customer complaints about how slow I was at the register." O'Neal 
decided to explain her situation to her employer, who, she said, 
seemed very dubious. "But I said very calmly to him, 'sir, 
there's a law. It's called the Americans with Disabilities Act, 
and it gives me the right to work with proper accommodations.'" 
O'Neal's employer found that he could use her in the floral 
department. "I worked very well in that department," said O'Neal. 
"I'm a creative person, and I could set my own pace. I'm just 
very thankful for the ADA." 
     One aspect of the ADA has greatly expanded employment 
opportunities for people with hearing impairments. Leslie Hall, 
who is deaf, commented that the relay service helps him a great 
deal at work because it enables him to use the telephone 
independently. Hall also noted that he knows a deaf man who runs 
a bakery. Before the relay, the man usually baked
a few orders a day, depending on the telephone help he was able 
to get. "Since the relay service started," Hall explained, "this 
man's orders have increased four times per day!" Hall cited 
another deaf friend who is a contractor. "He had problems 
communicating, but with Relay Missouri," Hall said, "things have 
become more convenient for him and his business is starting to 
grow."
     Another disability group who have benefited from the ADA's 
employment provisions are people who are HIV-infected. Thanks to 
the ADA, said Terry Starkey of the East Missouri Action Agency, 
individuals with HIV do not have to declare their HIV status to 
employers. "As the life span and wellness years of HIV-infected 
individuals increases," said Starkey, "we do not need, nor can we 
afford, nor do infected individuals wish government funding." By 
helping people with HIV to remain employed as long as possible, 
the ADA takes a burden off the taxpayers while enhancing the 
dignity of infected individuals, explained Starkey.
     Judith Parker described some unexpected employment gains 
that resulted from a volunteer program. Parker, who serves as ADA 
Coordinator for St. Louis County, told those present about 
Volunteer Plus, a county program that encourages adults with 
developmental disabilities to volunteer. The individuals involved 
did so well in learning new skills through volunteering, that 
some of them are now in competitive employment, she said. Parker 
described one young man with autism who was working at an animal 
shelter doing data entry. "He had never held a job," explained 
Parker, "but within six months his skill level in doing data 
entry was so high that he is now in competitive employment. 
     Parker told of another individual, a blind woman who went 
through Parker's agency's employment training program. "With the 
help of assistive-listening devices and a voice synthesizer, she 
is holding  her first job in 43 years," Parker explained proudly. 
Parker attributes the workplace success of many  Volunteer Plus 
participants to the ADA and the more receptive climate it is 
bringing about in the workplace.
     Some employers are very enthusiastic about the ADA. Randolph 
Scott, Vice President of Human Resources at Alliance Blue 
Cross-Blue Shield, commented that his company has made its St. 
Louis facility fully accessible and has hired many individuals 
with
disabilities. "We had the privilege of being recognized as the 
Employer of the Year by the Governor's Council last year," Scott 
said proudly. Scott admitted that many employers are reluctant to 
commit to hiring people with disabilities because of the cost. 
But Scott believes "it is far more costly to exclude a portion of 
the population who can contribute."
     While the employment gains that have resulted from the ADA 
are very important, no less far-reaching have been the increased 
access to a wide range of commercial, entertainment, and other 
activities. Jim Jordan, who chairs the advisory council for the 
Missouri Assistive Technology Project, is blind.  "Before the 
ADA," said Jordan, "it bothered me a lot that I would go into a 
restaurant and there were no Braille menus, and I always had to 
rely on someone else to read to me what they had and how much it 
cost." He cited Perkins and the Black-Eyed Pea, two Kansas City 
restaurants that provide Braille menus. "This is very important," 
he added, "because it gives me independence, and I'm able to 
choose what I want. I can figure out how much it's going to cost 
me, so I make sure I have enough money."
     Jordan also appreciates automatic tellers that use audio 
speech, so he knows which buttons he is pushing and can operate 
the machine independently. "I like those types of things because 
I'm a very independent person," he said. Jordan cited United 
Missouri Bank and Boatmen's Bank in Kansas City as banks that are 
accessible to people with visual impairments. And Jordan is glad 
that many hotel rooms and public restrooms are now marked in 
Braille. "The ADA is a very important law," added Jordan. "It 
makes people's lives a lot more efficient, and it makes people 
feel good about themselves."
     Jim McGarry, a student at the University of Missouri-St. 
Louis, has also been enjoying greater access in the community. 
"Since the ADA has passed," he said, "I've seen tremendous 
changes in curb cuts, in ramps, in access to stores, the aisles 
in stores." McGarry especially likes going out to movies and 
restaurants and says he has found them, for the most part, to be 
in compliance with the ADA. 
     Missouri's state parks are also becoming more accessible to 
people with disabilities. Jim Crabtree, of the Missouri 
Department of Natural Resources, explained that since his 
department got complaints that several state parks were 
inaccessible, he and his coworkers
have been working hard to make all its facilities accessible. An 
ADA advisory committee was formed to work with the Department, 
and accessibility changes have been made throughout the state's 
park system. And comments from park users have been positive. One 
disabled park user who visited Tom Sauk State Park, stopped a 
staffer to report her excitement at experiencing a high elevation 
independently for the first time. She was able to reach the 
highest point in Missouri, located in Tom Sauk State Park.
     One of the best things about the ADA, several pointed out, 
is that you do not have to be disabled to benefit.  Although the 
ADA does not address education, Annelle Weymuth, Executive 
Assistant to the President of Northwest Missouri State 
University,  Weymuth believes that ADA's greatest contribution in 
her area is that it has created "a wonderful awareness" on the 
Northwest Missouri State campus. Weymuth pointed out that anyone 
carrying a heavy load can appreciate an automatic door, and that 
someone temporarily on crutches can appreciate being able to park 
a little closer to buildings until they get off crutches.
     In addition to leading to the accessibility of a variety of 
facilities and activities in the community, the ADA has also 
increased access to local and state government services. Mary 
Branham, who has cerebral palsy, finds steps impossible. But 
since her county courthouse was made accessible last year, "I was 
able to register to vote for the first time," she said, "and that 
is a privilege that most people take for granted."
     Some local governments are going the extra mile to make 
their programs accessible to all residents. Park Hills even 
received an award of $1,500 from the National Organization on 
Disability for its accessibility efforts, according to John 
Simmons, Park Hills's ADA Coordinator.
     Jim Tuscher of Paraquad, Inc., a St. Louis independent 
living center, recalled that in the years before ADA when he went 
to the state capitol building in Jefferson City on business, he 
had to drive the 100-plus miles to Jefferson City, do his 
business, and drive back to St. Louis, all without using the 
bathroom because there were no accessible bathrooms in the state 
capitol. "That is all history because of the ADA," Tuscher 
exclaimed. And he added, "the ADA is working. In fact, it's 
working darn well in Missouri!"

Common Threads

The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers:
        Without the ADA, many people with disabilities who are 
        employed would not be. 
        
        Training programs for people with disabilities have led 
        to success in competitive employment.
     
        People with hearing impairments are finding more success 
        in employment and are getting more promotions.
        
        A variety of commercial, entertainment, and recreational 
        facilities are now accessible.
        
        People with disabilities have made gains in motivation 
        and self-esteem.
        
        Local and state government programs and facilities have 
        become much more accessible.
        
        Transportation has become more accessible to persons with 
        disabilities.

                  NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
                  50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                      MONTANA SUMMARY REPORT
                APRIL 13, 1995


Host organization: Alliance for Disability and the Students of 
Montana
NCD Member: Kate Wolters

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in Montana?

     Montana held its Town Meeting in the form of a 
teleconference. Based in Missoula, the teleconference allowed for 
the direct participation of people in Billings, Great Falls, 
Helena, and Kalispell as well. Montana residents expressed 
appreciation for the ADA, for the changes it has brought about in 
many areas. Attitude was the most often cited difference the ADA 
has made, followed by expanded opportunities in employment, and 
access to public accommodations, transportation, and state and 
local services. The ADA, some said, has also been a tool in the 
implementation of earlier disability civil rights laws.
     Attitude changes have been a two-way street. Speakers 
commented that their own attitudes about themselves are more 
positive, and the attitudes of others toward them have improved 
as well. For David Donaldson, a student at the University of 
Montana, the ADA has given him a feeling of equality. "I'm not 
ashamed of who I am," said Donaldson, who is blind as a result of 
albinism. "The ADA helps me to appreciate myself and others 
more." Donaldson also feels that others have treated him better 
in the last few years. 
     Fred Reed, a professor at the University of Montana, and 
faculty advisor to the Alliance, maintains that the ADA has 
brought real changes in the attitudes of people with 
disabilities. "The ADA," he says, "has certified that people with 
disabilities should ask for accommodation when they need it. "And 
students have pulled me up short about my own
insensitivity to disabilities," Reed added. "That would never 
have happened before the ADA!"
     A dramatic example of an attitude shift was described by 
Randy Modrel, Co-coordinator of an independent living center in 
Kalispell. Modrel explained that the local access committee, 
formed to work with the city government for greater access, 
invited the public works director to join the group. "He opposed 
the ADA," said Modrel, "and saw it as interfering with his job." 
But Modrel and others educated the man about the importance of 
access and the requirements of the ADA. As a result, the public 
works director installead curb cuts and parking for people with 
disabilities.  Modrel added that when a new medical office was 
being built, this former ADA opponent refused to grant a building 
permit until the builder agreed to build the parking lot at a 1% 
grade rather than 2%, in order to make it more accessible to 
wheelchairs. 
     One of the most important contributions of the ADA is in the 
area of employment. "The ADA has made it possible for me to 
maintain my job in a university setting," explained Kristie 
Madsen, a learning disabilities specialist at the University of 
Montana. She believes that the ADA is helping people with 
disabilities to go beyond entry level jobs to obtain professional 
positions as well. 
     While employment opportunities have improved as a result of 
the Act, there is still progress to be made, several said. "It's 
become a little easier for me to interview and get a job since 
the ADA," stated Rick Love, who works for the Montana Department 
of Labor and Industry. "Employers and companies are more aware 
since the ADA," he added.
     More government agencies are hiring people with 
disabilities, commented Michael Regnier, who works at the 
independent living center in Missoula. "We've seen some increase 
in employment opportunities for people with disabilities, as well 
as better training programs," he said.
     Perhaps the most diverse improvements can be seen in the 
area of public accommodations. Joe Tadisko, of the independent 
living center in Billings, reported his success in working with 
Metro Park, a large facility where rodeos and other major events 
are held. "Metro Park," he said, "has bent over backward to make 
the place accessible. They put
in extra wheelchair seating and made other changes to make the 
facility accessible," he said. And when the Northwest Fair Owners 
Association met there, Tadisko explained, he was invited to 
speak, to tell fair owners from all over the northwest what they 
need to do to make their fairs accessible. "We were even given a 
regular column in the Association's newsletter, so that we can 
discuss access on an ongoing basis," Tadisko said.
     As spectator events and fairs are becoming more accessible, 
so are more simple, everyday activities. A woman identified only 
as Charla said that getting around is a lot easier today than it 
was before the ADA. "Ten years ago there were no curb cuts," she 
commented, "so it was impossible even to go downtown by myself." 
"The ADA is great!" she said enthusiastically.
     Another type of public accommodation that has become more 
accessible is the church. Although not obligated by the ADA, many 
churches have been trying, nonetheless, to make their services 
and other activities accessible. "I'm impressed by the number of 
churches doing surveys and making changes for access," stated an 
unidentified woman who works at an independent living center. She 
remarked that she has gotten a lot of calls from churches for 
information on increasing accessibility.
     Of course in order to get to the various accessible public 
accommodations or to the workplace, transportation is needed. And 
the ADA has made great strides in that area, some said. "One 
thing I'm impressed with is transportation service in Great 
Falls," said Brian Tawher of the independent living center in 
Great Falls. "The bus routes take a little longer," he said, "but 
bus service is available throughout the city." Tawher explained 
that the city has contracted with a taxi company to fill the 
paratransit role. "I use it myself," said Tawher. 
     Joe Herrington is another fan of the transportation 
improvements the ADA has brought. "Public transportation now 
isn't perfect, but it's better than before," commented 
Harrington, an ADA consultant. "I'm grateful for the 
transportation provisions in the law," he said.
     In addition to affecting employment, public accommodations, 
and transportation, the ADA has also impacted state and local 
governments. Diane Carroll, of Kalispell, is pleased
with the progress her city is making in creating accessible 
services. "The city hall is being made accessible," she said, 
"and so are the art center, swimming pool, picnic areas, and 
park." Cooperation has been great, she said. "In fact, city hall 
employees willingly went without bathrooms for several weeks 
while the renovations were being made!" she said.
     In addition to its impact on many facets of life, the ADA 
has also affected prior legislation. Jim Marks, the Director of 
Disability Services at the University of Montana, explained that 
the ADA has given teeth to an existing state law that prohibits 
discrimination based on disability. Marks, who is blind, had 
applied for teaching positions but had been told that he was too 
expensive because of the fees required for readers. "I filed a 
complaint under the state law, but the law turned out to be 
meaningless because it did not define disability." Then the 
legislature passed a law to adopt the ADA's definition of 
disability, Marks explained. "Now the state law has meaning."  

Common Threads

The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers:
        We have a long way to go in making public transportation 
        accessible, but the changes made in recent years have 
        made a world of difference.

        
        Attitudes about disability have changed for the better, 
        both among people with disabilities and among people 
        without them.
        
        A wide variety of public accommodations have become more 
        accessible.
        
        Existing disability civil rights legislation has been 
        strengthened as a result of the passage of ADA.
        
        Employment has opened up for people with disabilities. 
        
        State and local governments are making their services 
        more accessible to people with disabilities.
       

                  NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
                  50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                      NEBRASKA SUMMARY REPORT
                  MAY 9, 1995
                                 

Host organization: League of Human Dignity
NCD Member: Rae Unziker

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in Nebraska?

     Nebraskans spoke enthusiastically about the ADA. They 
emphasized a variety of gains--in public accommodations, in 
employment, in accessibility to government services, in 
transportation, and in communications.
     A wide range of public buildings have become accessible to 
people with disabilities as a result of the ADA, according to 
many who spoke.  People really do participate more in community 
activities when public accommodations are accessible, maintains 
Ken Mayberry. He cited a facility in York that has been made 
accessible. "I recently noticed four people in wheelchairs 
watching a basketball game there," he said.
     One business owner indirectly told NCD that the renovations 
he undertook to make his business accessible cost less than he 
expected. In a video presented by Sara Fleck of the League on 
Human Dignity, this individual remarked that he is proud to 
comply with the ADA. "The changes were easy to make," he said, 
"and I am pleased that my friend who uses a wheelchair can now 
come into my store." 
     Although exempt from ADA requirements, "many churches are 
widening doors, installing ramps and sound systems that aid the 
hearing impaired, and making bathrooms accessible," observed 
Charles Beardslee with the Nebraska Assistive Technology Program. 
He maintains that the accessibility changes taking place as a 
result of the ADA in other areas of society "are making churches 
examine themselves." Beardslee also pointed out that,
without accessibility changes, attendance at church functions is 
often low because some people can't get in the door or can't hear 
what is being said.
     Accessibility in the workplace is also vitally important. 
Sarah Fleck, in her video, introduced the audience to two 
individuals with disabilities, along with their employers. One 
employee, Kathy Soflin, operates a telephone switchboard at 
Seward Motor Freight. In terms of accommodation, very little is 
required, and Saflin's supervisor is happy with her work.  He 
said  "The cost of the accommodations we made for Kathy didn't 
really have an impact. They are just tools to do her job," he 
explained, "and we provide all our employees with the tools they 
need to do their jobs."
     Fleck also visited Paul Heers, an employee at a Wal-Mart 
store, and interviewed him, along with his job coach and 
supervisor. Again, accommodations have been minimal. Heers, who 
does outdoor work, is supplied with a long handled broom, since 
stooping is difficult for him, as well as a walkie-talkie, so 
that he and his supervisor can communicate when he is working 
outside. Heers' job coach explained that Heers' is included in 
all staff meetings, parties, and other activities. "Paul is a 
good worker," said his boss. "And accommodating him hasn't taken 
much. It's been very economical and worthwhile to have him on the 
staff," he said.
     One individual who is very happy to be employed is Mark 
Booth. Until three months ago he had been unemployed, "but now I 
have a job, thanks to the ADA, and I have a lot of work," he 
said.  Mark was happy to trade his subsidized housing and food 
stamps for his job.
     Robert Doulas explained how the ADA aided him in his search 
for employment. "When I applied for a job with the state," 
reported Doulas, who is blind, "I was told I had to fill out an 
application." But Doulas knew that, thanks to the ADA, he could 
submit a resume instead, and the application details could be 
filled in by a staffperson. "The ADA got me clerical help in 
filling out the application," said Doulas.
     While employment is essential for most people's survival, 
access to one's government offices and services is essential to 
citizenship. And local and state government offices in Nebraska 
are working hard to ensure that all citizens have access to the 
services government
provides. Dwain McLaughlin, ADA Coordinator for Scottsbluff, 
stated in a letter that the city council voted to make 
accessibility changes even faster than the ADA peer group had 
recommended. "We set out to implement the transition process over 
a two-year period," McLaughlin wrote, but the city council 
"decided to earmark funds for completing this major project by 
allocating the entire amount for one budget season." 
     The ADA has also enabled the state of Nebraska to change a 
discriminatory policy. Until recently any driver who had lost 
consciousness in the last year as a result of epilepsy could have 
his or her driver's license revoked for a year. But, according to 
Jack Conrad, ADA Coordinator for the state, "we decided to 
examine such policies to determine whether they were appropriate. 
"We sought expert information and advice," he said, "and the 
policy has been changed to just a three month revocation."
     At the state capitol in Lincoln, disability advocates worked 
effectively with the state government to expand parking for 
people with disabilities. Merwyn Vavrina, a citizen who 
participates in legislative issues, found the four existing 
spaces inadequate. He met with Nebraska's ADA Coordinator and 
representatives of several state government bodies that use the 
parking spaces near the capitol building, and the result? "Now 
there are five handicapped spaces in the area where there had 
been four, and an additional area of handicapped parking will be 
created on another side of the building," he said. Vavrina added 
that "the ADA played a big part in this coming about."
     For those who do not drive, public transportation is a must 
if they are to participate fully in their community. William L. 
Rush, a free lance writer in Lincoln, who uses a wheelchair, 
explained that before the ADA he was limited to places he could 
get to in a few-block radius. "But now I can go farther," he 
stated through an electronic device, "thanks to lift-equipped 
buses." Rush, who needs to be able to meet with individuals on a 
spur-of-the moment basis for his writing, found the earlier 
paratransit requirement that a transportation reservation must be 
made two weeks in advance entirely inadequate and is glad for the 
change. 
     The improved transportation that has resulted from the ADA 
also plays an important role in Rush's social life. "Now I can 
meet my girlfriend at K-Mart to shop or meet my church men's 
group at a restaurant," he says.
     Increased opportunities to communicate with other people is 
a major benefit of the ADA. Norman Weverka, a field 
representative for the Nebraska Commission for the Hearing 
Impaired, explained what a remarkable change it is in the lives 
of people with hearing impairments to be able to pick up a 
telephone and call anyone, hearing or non-hearing. "People can be 
more independent," he said, "now that they can make phone calls 
without help." Weverka also believes the relay is educating 
people by dramatically increasing the contact between people who 
are hearing impaired and those who are not.

Common Threads
The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers:
        As accessibility changes have been made, people have 
        noticed more people with disabilities attending 
        performances and other events.
        
        More municipal buildings and activities are fully 
        accessible.
        
        Attitudes toward people with disabilities have become 
        much more accepting and accommodating.
        
        Efforts people with disabilities make to increase 
        accessibility are no longer brushed off, as they often 
        were in the pre-ADA years.
        
        Access to employment has increased significantly for 
        people with disabilities.
        
        A number of parks have been made accessible.



                  NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
                  50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                       NEVADA SUMMARY REPORT
                  MAY 3, 1995


Host organization: Nevada Rehabilitation Division/Community Based 
Services
NCD Member: Jack Gannon

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in Nevada?

     More than 100 Nevadans turned out for their ADA Town 
Meeting, and many had a lot to say about the law's positive 
impacts on their lives. In employment and public accommodations 
the ADA has made a big difference, many people said. Others spoke 
about the ways in which the ADA has benefited those with mental 
illness, and still others addressed the law's cost.
     "How has the ADA affected my life?" asked Paul Gowens. "I 
got out of bed this morning and went to work. It wouldn't have 
happened without the ADA." Gowens, a former Council on 
Independent Living Chair, believes that in exchange for the right 
to work, to own a home, and other rights he gained through the 
ADA, that he has a responsibility to contribute to society as 
well.
     Dana Lescher is a young woman who does not really mind 
paying taxes because she is happy to be working. A wheelchair 
user, Lescher recently graduated from a public high school and is 
now employed at a Disney store in Las Vegas. "I couldn't have 
gotten my job if it weren't for the ADA," Lescher said.
     One mother is especially grateful that her daughter is able 
to remain employed in spite of the fact that she has AIDS. 
"Research shows that the longer people with AIDS can remain
employed, the longer they live," explained Diane Randall, the 
woman's mother. Randall expressed her great appreciation for the 
ADA.
     The ADA has closed gaps in the law regarding employment 
protections for people with disabilities, explained Scott Youngs, 
Project Coordinator for ADA Nevada. "The ADA has brought a 
national focus to the need to remove barriers that stand in the 
way of employment for people with disabilities," he said. 
     Randy Tower, a technology specialist at the Nevada Community 
Enrichment Program, has been an employed person with a disability 
before and after passage of the ADA. When he went back to work 25 
years ago after becoming disabled in a car accident, he found an 
inaccessible, difficult work environment. He suffered a great 
deal of stress and decided he could not really work after all. 
"But as the disability rights movement has grown and the ADA was 
passed, I'm now employed in a friendly workplace," he says. "And 
I can be comfortable at work."
     While employment discrimination against people with 
disabilities still exists, there is now legal recourse to deal 
with it, thanks to the ADA. Teresa Fuller told those assembled 
that her husband Ernie, in applying for a job, had gotten the 
highest scores, both in a written and an oral test. "But he 
wasn't hired because of his hearing impairment," she said. So 
Fuller's husband filed charges. "He won the case, and he got the 
job," she said. "It wouldn't have been possible before the ADA."
     While strides toward equal access in employment have been 
great under the ADA, strides in public accommodations have been 
impressive as well. June Tweedle told a story about her son, a 
young man with cerebral palsy who is ambulatory. When he went to 
a local carnival with his sisters two years ago, he was denied 
access to the rides because of his disability. His mother was 
angry that other people would attempt to put limits on his 
activities, since he is the best judge of what he can and cannot 
do. "I tried to talk to the carnival owner, but he told me he 
didn't want to hear about anyone's civil rights," said Tweedle, 
who then decided to file a civil rights violation. 
     The following year, Tweedle said, her son had no problems 
gaining access to the rides at the carnival. "Of course he was 
accompanied by two attorneys," she said. But this
year Tweedle noticed that some real changes had been made at the 
carnival. "Thanks to the ADA, the fairgrounds had been made much 
more accessible, and I saw more people there in wheelchairs than 
I had seen in the last four years," remarked Tweedle.
     Another speaker told about his successful efforts to turn a 
reasonably accessible facility into a completely accessible one. 
Bill Hamilton, a swimmer who uses a wheelchair, moved to Minden, 
in part because of the Carson Valley Swim Center, an accessible 
swimming pool complex. Built in 1989, the Center was in 
compliance with the laws at the time. "But it was not in 
compliance with the ADA," pointed out Hamilton. "The pool manager 
wanted to renovate, and the alterations they made created a 
facility that exceeded the ADA!" Improvements included: a new 
shower room that was large enough for a wheelchair and an 
attendant; and a private, unisex changing room that opens onto 
the room with a therapeutic pool. "There are even two alarm 
buttons in the changing room," said Hamilton, "in case someone 
falls and needs help." Because of the privacy of the changing 
room, someone who needs assistance can use it with a spouse, and 
parents can use it with their children, without concern about 
others coming in, explained Hamilton. "Thanks to the 
accessibility changes, the Center's revenues are up," said 
Hamilton, "and the facility won a national award from the 
National Parks and Recreation Association." Hamilton added that 
if it weren't for ADA design standards, builders would not have 
had the guidance necessary to build a truly accessible 
recreational facility.
     Even though most ramps are constructed for use by people in 
wheelchairs, people who are blind benefit as well, maintains 
George Brown, who chairs the Nevada Developmental Disabilities 
Planning Council. "I'm so thankful for wheelchair ramps," he 
says, "because I've fallen on stairs dozens of times. Curb cuts 
and ramps do a lot of good for blind people too."
     While people with all types of disabilities have been aided 
by the ADA, individuals with mental illness have especially 
benefited, commented Rosetta Johnson, President of the Alliance 
for the Mentally Ill of Nevada. The mother of a young adult with 
schizophrenia, Johnson called the ADA "our strong and 
enlightening agent in reducing stigma and ignorance regarding 
mental illness." She explained that many people with mental 
illness can be restored
to a normal life. "And the ADA is helping us reintegrate them 
into the community," she said.
     Scott Youngs described one business owner who was reluctant 
to do what was readily achievable to make his hardware store 
accessible. But he changed his attitude when he discovered that 
he could broaden his market in the process. "He decided to start 
stocking grab bars, shower hoses, and other items people with 
disabilities might need," reported Youngs. "You could almost see 
the dollar signs in his head!"
     Finally, Michelle Rico added a note about the future. "The 
ADA's not just for people with disabilities now," she said, "but 
it affects us in the future too." She pointed out that the ADA 
will keep us from being restricted as we get older. "I want the 
ADA to be there for me down the road if I need it," she said.

Common Threads

The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers:
        Many people, who were afraid of the expense they thought 
        compliance with the ADA would entail, have been 
        pleasantly surprised that their costs have been very low.
        
        Many people are gainfully employed--people who would not 
        be able to get work if the ADA were not in effect.
        
        Businesses, state and local governments, and other 
        entities are no longer putting people off when they 
        request accommodations.
         
        Many steps taken to make public facilities accessible to 
        people with disabilities have been used and appreciated 
        by others as well.

                  NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
                  50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                   NEW HAMPSHIRE SUMMARY REPORT
                MARCH 17, 1995


Host organization: Granite State Independent Living Center
NCD Member: Bonnie O'Day

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in New Hampshire?

     New Hampshirites with disabilities have benefited from the 
ADA in a myriad of ways. Employment opportunities have widened, 
access to public accommodations and local government services 
have increased, and accessible transportation is more widely 
available. And for people who are deaf or hard of hearing, 
especially, everyday life has become much easier.
     After losing her job because of her disability, Carol 
Williams was depressed for quite awhile. Then she discovered the 
ADA. "I was trained for a job, along with several others with 
disabilities," she said. "I got the job, with no government money 
involved, and my workplace is accessible and accommodating," says 
Williams, who uses a wheelchair.
     Some simple accommodations have enabled David Robar to do 
his job. Robar, who uses a wheelchair, is the Public Information 
Coordinator at the Granite State Independent Living Foundation in 
Concord. Robar elevated his desk by putting blocks under it, and 
his phone includes a headset. His computer keyboard is mounted on 
a simple slide that positions the keyboard in an accessible 
location. He uses another slide to position reading material and 
has a modified work schedule that allows him to work at home when 
necessary. "The ADA has given me access to employment," Robar 
stated.
     "The ADA was the tool I needed to prevent a man with mild 
epilepsy from losing his job," stated Lee Perseley, an attorney 
for the Disability Rights Center in Concord. Perseley
explained that the man's supervisor had an unfounded fear that 
the man could suffer a seizure on the job. But Perseley, with the 
ADA behind him, was able to dispel the fear.
     A great deal is being done to help people with learning 
disabilities perform well on the job, according to Nancy 
Martell-Stevenson, President of the New Hampshire Learning 
Disabilities Association and the mother of three children with 
learning disabilities. One accommodation that helps people with 
these significant but hidden disabilities is the use of an 
employment mentor--an expert in learning disabilities who can 
explain job functions in ways that speak to people's abilities, 
not their disabilities. The ADA has also brought about literacy 
programs to help people on the job who are unable to read 
directions, Martell-Stevenson explained. There is even a computer 
program that helps people who are dyslexic to function well on 
the job.
     In addition to employment, access to public accommodations 
has also greatly increased. Jeannie Kincaid, an attorney 
specializing in disability law, commented that when she needs a  
haircut, she goes to a beauty salon that actively markets its 
services to people with disabilities. "The shop advertises that 
it welcomes people with disabilities, and its ads include a TTY 
number," she said. "It's nice to see the business community 
embracing the ADA."
     Pam Locke, a single mom who uses a wheelchair, has noticed 
that "stores and restaurants I couldn't go to before are 
installing ramps." She described one store whose door opened out 
into the ramp. So in spite of the ramp, getting in was still 
difficult because it involved turning her wheelchair around. "I 
talked with the manager about the problem," she said, "and they 
recently installed a new door that opens away from you as you're 
coming up the ramp." Locke believes the ADA has made communities 
more aware of the disabled population. "We need this kind of 
legislation," she emphasized.
     Walter Plummer feels that his community of Durham is 
becoming more accessible. Banking and shopping are easier, and 
recreation activities are more accessible, he finds. "And I get 
to see and hear the politicians who come to New Hampshire for the 
presidential primaries!" he remarked.
     Thanks to the greater accessibility of public accommodations 
under the ADA, Robin Harrell feels that she is better able to 
maintain friendships. "There are more places where we can meet," 
she says, "restaurants, movie theaters, parks, and other places."
     A wide range of local government services that most 
Americans take for granted are becoming available to many people 
with disabilities for the first time. Laura Tucker, who uses a 
wheelchair, is excited to be able to partake of many of these 
services. "The new ramp at the municipal building in Bow is not 
too steep, and it has an overhanging roof to protect it from snow 
and rain," Tucker said. "I can vote, register my van, and take 
care of any business I have with the local government on my own," 
she said. The local community center has also been made 
accessible, so Tucker can attend community dinners and other 
functions there. And at Concord's city auditorium, also 
accessible, Tucker can attend plays and concerts. Thanks to a new 
elevator installed in Concord's public library, she now has 
access to the music room, the art room, and the auditorium.
     Several speakers expressed gratitude for the improved 
transportation that has resulted from the ADA. "I can now take 
regular public transportation to my favorite restaurants, to a 
doctor's appointment, or to get together with friends," commented 
Laurie de Mayo, who uses a wheelchair and lives in Manchester.
     People with hearing impairments have especially benefited 
from the ADA, noted many at the Town Meeting. Judith Raskin, once 
her deaf daughter's messenger to the world, told those present,  
"the ADA has enriched Joy's life and opened possibilities not 
available when she was younger." Now Joy can make her own 
business calls, through the relay, and her mother does not have 
to intervene in Joy's phone conversations with her friends. 
Raskin is pleased that, thanks to the ADA, her daughter can enjoy 
the use of public TTYs and the relay, and participate more fully 
in all realms of life.
     The relay service has also broadened employment 
opportunities for deaf people, according to Dee Clanton, State 
Coordinator for the Program for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in 
the Bureau of Vocational Rehabilitation. "Before the relay," she 
said, "jobs that required the use of a phone were off limits for 
people with hearing impairments."  But now, she said, "deaf 
people can use the phone at work because of the relay. 
Interpreter services
are also more available, allowing deaf people to take part in 
office meetings involving groups of people."

Common Threads

The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers:
        Deaf and hard of hearing people have used new 
        technologies to function more fully in all areas of life.
        
        The workplace is more accessible. 
        
        Taxpayers are saving money as people with disabilities 
        are finding employment and paying taxes.
        
        People have become more accepting and accommodating of 
        people with disabilities.
        
        Transportation has become more accessible, both locally 
        and long distance.

                  NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
                  50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                     NEW JERSEY SUMMARY REPORT
                MARCH 15, 1995


Host organizations: New Jersey Developmental Disabilities 
Council, Association for County Offices on the Disabled, DIAL 
Independent Living Centers; Statewide Parent Advocacy Network
NCD Member: Mary Raether

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in New Jersey?

     All who testified at New Jersey's town meeting had words of 
praise for the ADA. Access to public facilities and 
transportation is much better now than before the ADA's passage, 
many said. 
     Jackie Stearns appreciates the increased number of parking 
spaces for people with disabilities and accessible bathrooms she 
has found in the years since the ADA was enacted. And Rick 
Treano, who is blind, has noticed that since ADA came into being, 
there have been more accessible elevators, and some restaurants 
have Braille menus. "Overall, society is more accommodating to 
people with physical and visual impairments than before the ADA," 
Treano said.
     "The ADA is a wonderful civil rights law," stated Susan 
Elmer, Director of the DIAL Central Independent Living Center. 
She told a story of her successful effort to persuade a large 
auditorium to make seating available to wheelchair users in all 
price categories offered to other customers. "When I first called 
to reserve space for a wheelchair in the lowest price section," 
she said, "I was told there was no wheelchair seating at that 
price." But after explaining the ADA to the manager, the policy 
was changed. Now wheelchair users can enjoy performances even if 
they cannot afford the highest priced seats.
     Shirley Frederick has found many types of public 
accommodations much more accessible than in the past. The ADA is 
the greatest blessing in my life," she said. "Before the ADA, 
there were few places I could get to, but more places have become 
accessible because of the ADA." Curb cuts, accessible bathrooms, 
and accessible grocery stores and other buildings allow Frederick 
to get out and participate in her community. She also notices a 
very positive change in the attitudes of non-disabled people. 
"They are much more helpful and courteous than just a few years 
ago," she maintains.
     Shirley Frederick reported that until recently she and her 
wheelchair had to be lifted into her doctor's office building 
whenever she went for an appointment. But "my medical doctor has 
since moved to a new, fully accessible building which he had 
built with ramps, wide doors, and accessible bathrooms," she 
said.
     Several speakers expressed gratitude for the improvements in 
transportation that have resulted from the ADA. In fact, Pablo 
Viera reports that transportation is the single greatest impact 
ADA has had on his life. When he graduated from college in 1992, 
ready to go to work, he had no way to get there. His town of 
Vineland had no public transportation, and he could not afford to 
buy a car until he could get a job to pay for it--Catch 22. But 
Viera applied for New Jersey Transport Access Link and was 
accepted. "I no longer had the anxiety of wondering if my 
relatives, friends, or church members had the time to take me to 
the places I needed to go," Viera stated. "I now have a better 
job, more conveniently located, and I still use paratransit." 
Viera also says he has saved enough money to be able to buy his 
own car in about a month.
     Darlene LaRue, who has cerebral palsy, commented that 
"without Access Link, I wouldn't have a job." Indeed, "it is 
well-documented that transportation is the main barrier for 
people with disabilities to work," stated Kathleen Gregg, of the 
New Jersey Association for Persons in Supported Employment. "But 
improvements in paratransit have given people with disabilities 
more access to employment and to other activities as well," she 
said.
     Huntley Forrester, who uses a wheelchair, agrees that 
paratransit is getting better. His colleague at work depends on 
it in order to work, although the commute by paratransit is 
longer than it should be, Forrester believes. 
     Although public transportation needs to be improved, 
according to Stanley Soden, "it is definitely getting better, due 
to the ADA." The ADA has provided recourse for Soden, who has had 
problems getting a taxicab because of his wheelchair. When a cab 
company refused to take him because they don't take 'wheelchair 
patients,' "I insisted I am not a patient and I don't need to be 
lifted, just helped, into the cab." The company still would not 
take him, so Soden called the Justice Department. His case is now 
pending in court. "Funny," said Soden. "I couldn't get the owner 
of the cab company to talk to me before, but now that we're in 
court, he's eager to talk about settling the matter." Soden 
thanks the ADA for giving him the opportunity to fight for his 
right to get to work like anyone else. 
     In terms of work, the ADA is very important, several 
speakers said.  The growth in the number of people with 
disabilities who have been employed due to a drop in barriers 
"means a reduction in Social Security costs and a saving in 
taxpayers' money," stated Kathleen Gregg.
     
Common Threads

The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers:
        Transportation both locally and long distance has 
        improved greatly.
        More people with disabilities are finding employment.
        In allowing people with disabilities to be more 
        independent, the ADA is saving taxpayers' money.

                  NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
                  50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                     NEW MEXICO SUMMARY REPORT
               FEBRUARY 17, 1995


Host organization: Governor's Committee on Concerns of the 
Handicapped
NCD Member: Mary Raether

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in New Mexico?

     Several speakers described their successful self-advocacy 
efforts--efforts that they believe would have been far less 
successful had the ADA not been in effect. Others addressed 
benefits from the ADA for both employees and employers, while 
still others spoke about how the deaf community, in particular, 
has benefited from the ADA.
     Robert Burns, a member of the City-County Commission on 
Persons with Disabilities in Albuquerque, described his success 
in working with the manager of one of the state's largest 
shopping malls. Burns met with the manager and told him that the 
parking spaces for people with disabiites were too far from the 
accessible entrance, that the entrance with steps should have a 
sign pointing the way to the wheelchair-accessible entrance, and 
that the parking for people with disabilities at mall's movie 
theater was too far from the theater. "All the changes I asked 
for were put in place in less than four weeks," said Burns. "And 
the manager praised my demeanor, saying that my approach was the 
best way to bring about compliance." Burns also described an 
Albuquerque citizens' group's successful effort to have the fine 
for illegally using parking spaces reserved for people with 
disabilities raised from $50 to $150.
     When combined with knowledge of the Act's requirements, 
self-advocacy is especially effective. Sandra Dement, a 
wheelchair user, has educated herself about ADA building 
requirements. "So when I got stuck between aisles at Wal-Mart," 
she said, "I could explain
the architectural requirements to the managers and let them know 
exactly what they needed to do to make their store accessible. 
The ADA has been a big blessing in my life," said Dement.
     Another woman, Hazel Wadsworth, described her long but 
successful campaign to make a senior citizen center accessible. 
"Someone lit a fire under them and it was me!" she said. 
Wadsworth, who uses a wheelchair for her quadriplegia, was at 
first excited about the modern senior center in Rio Rancho. 
Although it was built in 1985, long after 504 regulations were in 
effect, the building had no accessible door or bathroom. When 
Wadsworth complained to the building manager, she was told there 
was not enough money to make the building accessible. "Since many 
older people have disabilities and mobility problems, it made no 
sense for the senior center to be inaccessible," she said.  The 
building was made accessible, seven years after she began her 
crusade. Wadsworth credits the ADA with giving her the leverage 
to succeed. Now the Rio Rancho senior center is accessible to all 
older people in the area, thanks to the ADA and one woman's 
persistence.
     The ADA has made a positive difference in employment. For 
one man, Kevin Irvine, the ADA is like insurance. "I've had HIV 
for more than 10 years, as well as hemophilia," said Irvine, who 
is also Vice-Chair of the City/County Commission on Persons with 
Disabilities. Irvine is very open about his HIV, but so far has 
not faced employment discrimination. "But it's good to know the 
ADA is there just in case," he said.
     The ADA is a tool to help employers as well as employees, 
according to Greg Trapp, a staff attorney with Protection and 
Advocacy Services. "The ADA is helping to reform workers' 
compensation laws by getting employees who are injured on the job 
back to work." This saves the employer money, and the employee 
can stay on the job and off the disability rolls. 
     The ADA can also reduce the incidence of workplace injuries 
in the first place. Accommodations like ramps make moving heavy 
objects easier, so a worker is less likely to be injured on the 
job, explained Trapp. "The ADA is a win-win piece of 
legislation," he said enthusiastically, benefiting employers and 
employees alike.
     One group of people who feel they have won access to 
everyday activities that others take for granted are people with 
hearing impairments. Norman Dawson cited a number of activities 
that are now available to him as a result of the ADA. Hotels 
rooms are more likely to be equipped with a TTY, a door knocker, 
and captioned TV. "And because of the ADA I can participate in 
political activities like Democratic Party functions," he said. 
Dawson said he can usually arrange to have an interpreter at such 
occasions. 
     Dawson also told those at the Town Meeting that he had 
recently gotten a ticket for speeding, but "all I had to do was 
call the city traffic department to request an interpreter for my 
traffic court date," he said. "In the past, if I were in a 
traffic court situation," explained Dawson, "I would have had to 
just guess what people were saying."
     ADA's importance will only increase with time. One speaker 
noted that by the year 2025 one-fifth of Americans will be over 
65. Since many older people have disabilities, the steps we take 
now toward accessibility will benefit many Americans in the years 
to come, as our population ages.

Common Threads

The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers:
        ADA has helped people with disabilities find employment 
        and stay on the job.
        
        Self-advocacy often yields very positive results. Such 
        efforts would not be possible without the ADA in place.
        
        ADA has brought disabilities to the forefront, and public 
        awareness has increased greatly.



                  NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
                  50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                      NEW YORK SUMMARY REPORT
                MARCH 24. 1995


Host organization: New York State Office of Advocate for Persons 
with Disabilities
NCD Member: Kate Wolters

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in New York?

     At New York's ADA Town Meeting in Albany many individuals 
spoke about positive changes the ADA has made in their lives. 
Travel and employment head the list in terms of greatest impact, 
and people also addressed the positive changes in the public's 
attitudes toward people with disabilities.
     When it comes to local travel, longtime New York City 
resident Claudia Morgan is enthusiastic about the improvements 
that have been made. "If it weren't for buses with lifts, I'd be 
blockbound," she said. Morgan uses the paratransit system to 
travel from Manhattan to Brooklyn to visit her grandmother every 
week.  
     Intercity train travel has become easier for many people 
with disabilities, thanks to the ADA's transportation provisions 
and changing attitudes. "Amtrak is now accessible to my son," 
says Pat Peebles of Albany. She described traveling by train with 
her son to Florida. "He could get on the train in his wheelchair, 
and the bathrooms were accessible," she said. "Since Amtrak has 
begun using cars with lifts, thanks to the ADA," said Mike 
Roselle, another wheelchair user, "I can travel to New York City.  
     Train stations and airports have been made more accessible 
in recent years, and changing attitudes have resulted in more 
accessible transportation to airports in some cities. 
     Car travel is also becoming easier for people with 
disabilities, thanks in part to the increasing number of 
accessible hotels and motels. "And the American Automobile 
Association (AAA)'s awareness of the ADA has led AAA to send 
field engineers around the country to investigate lodgings for 
telephones with flashing lights and portable smoke detectors," 
reported Andrew Kovalovich. "Only those hotels and motels that 
are properly equipped can earn the symbol for 'accessible to the 
hard of hearing' in AAA's travel publications," he said.  He also 
noted that an increasing number of travel agents are paying 
attention to accessibility in their customer services.
     Some of the most enthusiastic comments about the ADA 
concerned employment. Mary Beth Metzger, who is blind, is a 
personnel administrator for the New York Department of 
Corrections. She is able to have materials she needs printed in 
Braille, and she uses adaptive interfaces to enable her to use 
her computer. She credits the ADA with getting people's 
attention. "There were disability rights laws in existence before 
the ADA," said Metzger, "but it took the ADA to ensure that these 
laws are enforced."  
     Mike Roselle also uses a modified computer set-up in his 
work. "I used to have to type with my nose," he said, "but I got 
a new type of keyboard, so now I don't have to. I wouldn't have 
been able to get this accommodation if it weren't for the ADA," 
he said.
     Kristin King knows a number of people with disabilities who 
are successfully employed, thanks to the ADA. As Director of 
Advocacy for the Capital District Center for Independence in 
Albany, King reports that TDDs and interpreters have helped 
employees with hearing impairments. "And in many cases 
accommodations have been as simple as rearranging office 
furniture," she said.
     Many New Yorkers said they have noticed a dramatic change in 
attitudes toward people with disabilities since the ADA became 
law. Judy Dunbar, a social worker at a residential home for 
children with special needs in Oneonta, reports that changing 
attitudes have helped her community to become accessible. 
"Oneonta's come a long way," she said. "Now we can take kids on 
outings without having to lift their wheelchairs over curbs."
     "More people offer to help me now than they did before the 
ADA," said Michelle Massiano, who is visually impaired. And Laura 
Hagen reports that salespeople are more
sensitive to her needs when she goes shopping. Hagen, a member of 
a food co-op, credits the ADA with helping her dissuade the co-op 
from purchasing an inaccessible building. "My husband and I 
educated the co-op members about the importance of accessibility 
not only to current members but to would-be members as well," she 
said. The co-op then found a building that was already 
accessible. 
     Sometimes entire communities make the ADA a high priority. 
One New York town, Tuckahoe--population 6,000--won a first place 
award of $3,500 from the National Organization on Disability 
(NOD) for outstanding efforts to implement the ADA. Matthew 
Marino, Tuckahoe's NOD representative, reported that the town has 
established assisted listening devices in meeting rooms, 
courtrooms, and the community center. Audible traffic signals 
have been installed, and the town's newsletter is available on 
audio cassette. Town buildings have been made 
wheelchair-accessible inside and out. Steps have even been 
removed in the courthouse for jurors and judges. "But our most 
surprising success story," says Marino, "involves a survey we 
send periodically to residents asking them to identify any 
disabilities they or a family member may have that emergency 
personnel should know about in the event of a problem." 
Residents' responses are entered into a computer, so that in the 
event of a 911 call, police have immediate access to the 
information. "Other communities have followed our example," 
reports Marino, "and both the local press and the New York Times 
have reported on our 911 program." Tuckahoe will spend its award 
money on a "talking" computer for the local library. 

Common Threads

The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers:
        Movie theaters have become more accessible to people who 
        are hearing impaired and who use wheelchairs.
        
        Many hotels have become accessible--guest rooms and 
        conference facilities alike.
        
        Travel has become much easier for people with 
        disabilities, from local public transportation to 
        intercity travel by train, plane, and car.
        
        Curb cuts in communities large and small have enabled 
        people who use wheelchairs to get around. 
        
        The relay service has been a boon to people who have not 
        been able to communicate with family and friends by phone 
        for years. The relay has also helped many people in the 
        workplace.
        
        Health care services have become more accessible to 
        people with hearing impairments.
        
        The public has become more aware of disabilities. 
        
        Many businesses have taken steps toward accessibility as 
        a result of advocacy efforts by people with disabilities. 


                  NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
                  50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                   NORTH CAROLINA SUMMARY REPORT
                APRIL 28, 1995


Host organization: Programs for Accessible Living
NCD Member: Jack Gannon

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in North Carolina?
     A great many North Carolina citizens showed up to testify to 
the positive impact of the ADA at the state-wide Town Meeting 
held in Winston-Salem on April 28, 1995.  Each citizen had a 
unique story, but many stories told of the impact in three areas:  
employment, access to government services, and the arts.  In 
addition, several deaf and hard of hearing individuals testified 
to the vast change in their ability to participate in mainstream 
American life as a result of the ADA.
     "The ADA really gets employers' attention when you're 
developing training  programs for people with disabilities and 
helping them find jobs." commented Chet Mottershead, direct of a 
rehabilitation facility in Rocky Mount and an individual who 
knows the first hand impact of the law for persons with 
disabilities.  "I've seen tremendous success due to the ADA, and 
sections 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.  The ADA is 
really needed," he said.
     "Thanks to the ADA," said Paranita Towson, who has epilepsy, 
"it is easier for me to get help and understanding on the job." 
But sometimes employers resist the notion of reasonable 
accommodation and need to be educated. "Before the ADA, I talked 
to my employer about making some changes to accommodate my 
disability," related Jeffrey Bittner. "But he treated me as if I 
were pulling his leg." After the ADA became law, Bittner 
explained the ADA to his boss, who then made the front entrance 
accessible and even changed the entire floor plan to make the 
workplace completely accessible. Bittner believes
that "businesses want to know what they can do to accommodate 
employees and customers with disabilities."
     Andy Leach agrees. "Employers have more genuine concern 
these days," he said. "They're realizing that some accommodations 
may be no more than putting a desk on blocks or buying a new 
piece of software." Leach, who is visually impaired, cited the 
hiring practices of Nations Bank that not only accommodate many 
people with disabilities but allow them to advance in the company 
as well.         
     Sometimes employers simply refuse to make reasonable 
accommodations for employees, and in those cases the ADA is even 
more important. Brenda Heinz recounted that for 20 years her 
disability has often caused her pain. Before the ADA, she endured 
the pain rather than ask for help in the workplace. Once the ADA 
became law, however, she asked for an accommodation that cost 
less than $200. "I was stunned that the request was denied," said 
Heinz, whose employer was a local government. Armed with a copy 
of the ADA, Heinz navigated her way through the official 
grievance process and finally obtained the needed accommodation. 
The process was slow, but "the accommodation that resulted 
enabled me to keep my position," she said. 
     Local governments are also making strides toward 
accessibility. David Goines said that he and others in Burke 
County formed an Impaired Citizens Council to work with the 
government to make its services more accessible. "The mayor was 
initially resistant," said Goines, "But then things started to 
change." 
     Another citizen advisory council worked hard for access to 
government services in Charlotte. Julia Sain described her 
group's efforts to bring about access. "I have worked with the 
Council since 1986," she said, "and I have seen how much more 
successful our advocacy efforts have been since ADA went into 
effect." In 1986 Sain's group attempted to persuade local 
officials to make the planned new city-county government building 
accessible. They failed. Then after the ADA went into effect, the 
citizens' council did educate officials of the need to ensure 
access to an over-street walkway system the city had been 
building for years. "The city manager stated that the city would 
not take ownership of the walkway system if it was inaccessible," 
Sain said. "This was the same person who refused us in
1986." And the only difference between the 1986 situation and the 
later one, according to Sain, was the ADA.
     In addition to employment and government services, the arts 
are also more accessible to people with disabilities as a result 
of the ADA. Ken Franklin, state ADA Coordinator, described Arts 
Access, Inc. a Raleigh-based group of arts educators, actors, 
technicians, and others with disabilities who are working to make 
the arts more accessible for all persons with disabilities. 
Franklin, a member of the group, stated that Arts Access has put 
a wheelchair in all arts facilities in the city and has provided 
a list of interpreters to arts agencies. Arts Access has also 
trained audio describers--people who describe shows for the 
visually impaired. Last summer the High Point Shakespeare 
Festival audio-described all of its productions, and Raleigh 
theaters are now audio-describing shows.
     The School of the Arts in Winston-Salem has also been made 
more accessible, related Mike Phillips. Phillips, who serves on a 
disabilities committee of the School, reported that the School 
has created accessible seating in the dance auditorium in 
addition to parking spaces for people with disabilities.
     The ADA has paved the way for many successes, but perhaps 
the Act's greatest impact for people who are deaf has been the 
relay system, now available in every state. "The best part about 
the ADA is the relay," said Ann Davidson. A vocational 
rehabilitation counselor for deaf students, Davidson uses the 
relay at work to communicate with clients, vendors, school 
counselors, employers, and parents of her clients. Before the 
ADA, Davidson had to rely on a coworker to take and transmit 
messages for her. 
     Davidson offered another story about how the relay saved the 
day for her. She was at home alone when her basement flooded. At 
first she panicked, but then she remembered the relay. "I was 
able to just pick up the phone and call someone to come and fix 
the problem, thanks to the relay," she said.
     Mike Phillips is thankful for the relay too. "Overnight it 
became possible for me to contact anyone I wanted to communicate 
with," he said. Phillips feels the relay has made a remarkable 
difference in his ability to make friends. "Before the relay it 
was hard to make
contact," he said. "I think the most immediate and far reaching 
effect of ADA has been the relay."
     The relay service benefits the families of deaf people as 
well as deaf people themselves, Dana Daniell told NCD. "Before 
the ADA I had to make all my wife's phone calls for her," he 
said. "But I didn't always know what to say. I couldn't read her 
mind," he said. "With the relay, she makes her own calls." 
Daniell said he and other family members are relieved that they 
no longer have to serve as interpreters and messengers. "I'm 
eternally grateful for the ADA," said Daniell.
     In addition to the relay, ADA has opened up other aspects of 
life to people with hearing impairments."Traveling now has more 
glamor to it," stated Peggy Brooks in written testimony. "Hotels 
will accommodate deaf and hard of hearing patrons by supplying 
decoders for TV, TDDs, knock lights, smoke alarm lights, etc. In 
the past, deaf people would travel with their own decoders and 
TDDs. Now I can enjoy the same access to hotel services that 
everyone else enjoys.
     The ADA has brought about many positive changes, stated 
virtually all North Carolinians who spoke. College student 
Jeannie Wolf put it well when she said, "I'm glad the ADA was 
passed, and I celebrate it every July!"

Common Threads

The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers:
        Employers are becoming more receptive to employees with 
        disabilities and their needs for accommodation.
        
        City governments are responding to the ADA and to 
        citizens who want to work with them to comply.
        
        Hotels now are much more likely to have close captioned 
        TV, portable fire alarms, and other assistive 
        technologies available for deaf patrons.
        
        The relay service has made people with hearing 
        impairments feel part of mainstream life.
                  NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
                  50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                    NORTH DAKOTA SUMMARY REPORT
                 JUNE 14, 1995


Host organization: Governor's Committee on Employment of People 
with Disabilities
NCD Member: Debra Robinson

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in North Dakota?

     North Dakotans gathered to tell NCD that the ADA has had a 
number of positive impacts on their lives. In access to a variety 
of public accommodations, in expanded employment opportunities, 
and in public transportation, life has changed for the better 
since the ADA. Several also testified that the law has brought 
about intangible benefits as well.
     All over North Dakota, according to Rich Grey, of the North 
Dakota Office of Intergovernmental Assistance, small towns are 
instituting curb cuts and making their buildings and programs 
accessible. "State agencies," he said, "are much more aware of 
their responsibilities with the ADA." More and more, according to 
Grey, municipalities are incorporating ADA building guidelines 
into local building codes. Grey added that elderly people benefit 
even more than people with disabilities from the accessibility 
changes that are taking place in North Dakota.
     Norma Deichler, the Barnes County ADA Coordinator, agrees 
that communities are doing a better job of creating access. "I 
see fewer things like parking for people with disabilities with 
no curb cuts," she said. "People are thinking more about these 
concerns," she said. 
     "I travel a lot," added Madonna Logosv, "and what I've seen 
in the last five years is remarkable. Restrooms, curb cuts, and 
many services were nonexistent until five years ago," Logish 
said. "It's only the ADA that has brought about these access 
changes," she said.
     The ADA has been an effective tool for making public 
accommodations accessible. Deb Dilger described her effort to 
persuade a local retail chain to make its restrooms accessible. 
"I wrote to the manager about the ADA," said Dilger. "But they 
did make an accessible bathroom, and they added an automatic 
door," explained Dilger. They even redid their parking lot to 
create more parking that is accessible. "The place is much more 
accessible now," remarked Dilger.
     The more that public accommodations are made accessible, the 
more that people with disabilities can shop and make purchases, 
which makes them more economically powerful. "The more people 
with disabilities are given access to their communities," pointed 
out April Crane, the more they can earn at work and spend in 
stores," she said. Accessibility benefits the entire economy, not 
just people with disabilities, she pointed out.
     Employment is one of the most important areas covered by the 
ADA. "The Act goes a long way," commented Miles Erickson of the 
Dakota Center for Independent Living, to help people with 
disabilities get off welfare, get work, and get involved in their 
communities." Erickson added that there are many barriers people 
with disabilities face, and employment need not be one of them.
     An unidentified speaker from the American Federation of 
State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) related that the 
ADA enabled a union member with a learning disability to remain 
on the job and to be productive. "His employer, a North Dakota 
county government," explained the union representative, "refused 
to explain any set of instructions to the worker more than once. 
There were planning to fire him," commented the AFSCME rep. But 
the union local was able to use the ADA to come up with a 
reasonable accommodation that allowed the worker to perform well 
and to keep his job. AFSCME, the rep explained, has made a video 
about the ADA and how the Act can be used to help employers and 
employees alike. 
     Before the ADA, many workers kept their disabilities hidden, 
even though secrecy often meant a reduction in productivity and 
an increase in strain. "But now workers with disabilities are 
asking for reasonable accommodations without fear of losing their 
jobs,"
commented April Crane. "The ADA has given workers the courage to 
ask for what they need," she said.
     In addition to public accommodations and employment, 
transportation is also important to residents of North Dakota. 
Before the ADA, commented Robin Werre, accessible transportation 
in North Dakota was fragmented at best. "Now it is 
well-coordinated," she said, "and serving several thousand people 
on a 24-hour a day basis in her community. "The ADA's 
transportation mandate is part of the reason for the success of 
transportation in our area," said Werre. "People have been using 
the accessible transportation to get to work," she said.
     Chuck Stebbins is happy with the improvements in 
transportation in his area. "Paratransit in Bismarck-Mandan has 
gotten much better with the ADA," Stebbins said.
     As important as are gains in public accommodations, 
employment, and transportation, some of the most valuable changes 
related to the ADA are intangible. Marie Brown feels that the ADA 
has empowered people with disabilities to advocate effectively 
without being aggressive. Even though some businesses resist 
compliance with the ADA, "we now have a vehicle to assert our 
rights," said Brown. "The ADA has been a blessing," added Laurie 
French.
     And Audrey Meadows summed it up for many when she said, "The 
ADA gives people with disabilities hope. And hope is very 
important in people's lives."

Common Threads

The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers:
        Public transportation has become more accessible, 
        allowing many people with disabilities to go to work and 
        participate in the life of their community.
        
        The ADA has engendered awareness among the public about 
        disabilities and the importance of creating a society 
        that is accessible for all.

        Stores, schools, and other facilities have been made 
        accessible to people with disabilities.
        
        The ADA has proved a valuable tool in helping people with 
        disabilities to win access to employment and public 
        accommodations.
         
        The ADA has helped people with disabilities to become 
        more economically independent.

                  NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
                  50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                        OHIO SUMMARY REPORT
                 APRIL 4, 1995


Host organization: Ohio Developmental Disabilities Planning 
Council
NCD Member: Jack Gannon

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in Ohio?

     A number of Ohioans spoke about the positive changes the ADA 
has made in their lives. The ADA's employment provisions received 
especially high marks. Others testified about the benefits to 
their children with disabilities, and to increased opportunities 
to participate in civic and community life.
     "I've heard employers say again and again that their 
employees with disabilities are their hardest working and most 
reliable employees," stated David Wilkin, whose company produced 
a video in which employers describe their experiences in hiring 
people with disabilities. According to employers Wilkin has 
interviewed, people with disabilities are very happy to have a 
chance to work and are eager to do their best. The employers 
interviewed said that only minimal accommodations have been 
required. 
     Others also testified that most workplace accommodations are 
minimal. Elsie Danovich, a wheelchair user with an illness that 
robs her of energy, testified that her employer allows her a 
flexible schedule. She can work during the hours when she feels 
the freshest. 
     Fatica Ayers, whose illness requires her to rest, keep warm, 
and elevate her legs, has been accommodated at work fairly 
easily. Her employer gave her the warmest office, and she uses an 
ottoman to raise her legs. She also takes breaks when necessary. 
"Once when I couldn't come to work at all but had a meeting to 
run," says Ayers, "my boss allowed me to
conduct it via a conference call. Even though I needed to rest at 
home that day, I could still do my job," she says.
     Sometimes accommodations are made to help employees care for 
family members with disabilities. Mary Biel, the mother of a 
child with severe cerebral palsy, explained that the hospital 
where her husband works accommodates him by letting him work the 
day shift. "Our daughter's health problems are worse at night, so 
we are glad my husband can be at home then," she said.
     In addition to requiring reasonable accommodation in the 
workplace, the ADA also calls for fairness in the job interview 
process. "Before the ADA, I could go to a job interview and the 
employer could say we won't hire you because you're disabled," 
reported Tim Harrington. "And I had no legal recourse." Today 
employers must give equal consideration to Harrington and others 
if they can perform the essential functions of the job.
     The 'essential function' concept is an important one, 
according to Jerry Droll of ADA-Ohio. He described an employer he 
knows who wanted to hire a blind woman because she tested better 
than other job applicants. But he was worried because she would 
be unable to count the money in the cash box. But when the 
employer stopped to think that this activity took place only for 
an hour every two weeks, he decided to hire her. "The employer 
realized that this small part of the job was not an essential 
function,"  said Droll. "She could perform all the essential 
functions, so he hired her."
     The benefits of ADA are not limited to adults. Children 
benefit as well, several told NCD. Dawn Caldwell's son has 
cerebral palsy, but she is looking forward to his participation 
in preschool next year. "It's great to see how attitudes have 
changed," she said. "All the preschools we looked at were 
accepting and eager to have Alex. They have ramps and accessible 
bathrooms." Caldwell says that thanks in part to the ADA, she can 
take her son anywhere and he will feel included.
     Brad Hollys of the Independent Living Center in central Ohio 
agreed that the ADA is benefiting children. He read a letter from 
a parent who said the ADA has been invoked several times in her 
five year old son's life for the building of ramps to allow him 
to get into a number of buildings for physical therapy and other 
activities. 
     The ADA is about more than rights-it is about 
responsibilities as well. Irwin Hott explained that he had served 
for three months on a grand jury. "My blindness was not a 
problem," he said. Hott used a Braille & Speak to take notes and 
found the grand jury experience fascinating. Hott had been called 
for jury duty in the 1970s but had been automatically excluded 
because of his blindness.
     Gale Gross described a blind woman who served for two weeks 
on jury duty. "A few years ago she would not have been allowed to 
serve," said Gross, who works with ADA-Ohio. People in the court 
system were sensitive to her disability, and she had a good 
experience, according to Gross. "She attributes her good 
experience to the increase in disability awareness brought about 
by the ADA."
     Getting out and participating in the life of the community 
has become much easier since the ADA, many said. Paratransit is 
improving, according to Ann Gazelle, a social worker in Columbus 
who is blind. "It's the small things that make ADA so valuable," 
said Ann Christopher. If it were not for parking reserved for 
people with disabilities and accessible bathrooms, she could not 
have participated in the Ohio Town Meeting, she said. 
     As more people with disabilities are participating in 
community activities, the word is getting out that people with 
disabilities are consumers. Bob McCallum stated that one of the 
largest home builders in central Ohio featured an accessible home 
at its recent home show. "This is a direct result of changing 
attitudes that we've been seeing since the ADA was enacted," said 
McCallum. 

Common Threads

The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers:
        Access to participation in the justice system has 
        increased.
        
        People with disabilities have had a chance to show they 
        make good employees. 
        Simple workplace accommodations have allowed more people 
        with disabilities to be employed.
        
        People in wheelchairs are having the experience of 
        entering restaurants and other businesses through the 
        front door, and that is having a positive effect on 
        self-esteem.
        
        ADA has allowed children to participate in activities 
        that once only non-disabled children could enjoy.
        
        ADA has been a valuable tool for the education of people 
        who are not disabled. 
        
        Shopping has become more accessible. More stores are 
        physically accessible, and salespeople are more willing 
        to accommodate customers with disabilities.
        
        Accessible public transportation has improved and 
        continues to improve.


                  NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
                  50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                      OKLAHOMA SUMMARY REPORT
               FEBRUARY 21, 1995


Host organization: Oklahoma City Mayor's Committee on Disability 
Concerns
NCD Representative: Billie Jean Hill, NCD Staff

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in Oklahoma?

     Oklahomans who spoke at the Town Meeting in Oklahoma City 
testified that the ADA has made a positive difference in their 
lives.
     One of ADA's greatest impacts, several speakers said, is in 
the area of employment. Architect Roger Barton commented that 
employers are finding that they benefit from hiring and keeping 
employees with disabilities.
     Kit Phillips of FRIENDS Group, Inc. is proud that her 
daughter Tina is employed, in spite of the fact that she is 
mentally retarded and has a physical disability. ADA has helped 
to change attitudes of employers from focusing on what a person 
with a disability cannot do to what that person can do. And 
Phillips's group is working to help high school graduates with 
disabilities make the transition to adulthood and the work world. 
"We just got a grant to hire a job coach to work with young 
people who are ready to be employed," said Phillips. "Once a 
young person is employed, the job coach will work with him or her 
and the employer until all three feel comfortable that the 
employee can perform well on the job. An ongoing resource, the 
job coach will check in periodically with each employee in the 
program," explained Phillips.
     Greater awareness of disabilities, fostered by the ADA, has 
also led to increased acceptance by co-workers of individuals 
with disabilities, according to Cathy Ames of the Department of 
Rehabilitative Services' employment program. A client of Ames--a 
woman
who is deaf and a wheelchair user--has been well-received by her 
co-workers. "In fact, they are all learning sign language so that 
they can communicate with her," said Ames.     Ames's agency has 
just launched a new program to help people who are HIV-positive 
find employment. She admits that such an undertaking is a 
challenge, but as attitudinal barriers are falling, thanks to the 
ADA and growth in the disability rights movement, she is hopeful 
that her HIV clients will succeed.
     A lot has changed in terms of business acceptance of the 
ADA, according to Roger Barton. He remembers that just before the 
ADA passed, many businesses and employers were asking how they 
could get around the ADA. "They wanted to do their building 
before the ADA went into effect so they would not have to 
comply," he said. "People in business were scared because they 
did not really know what the law meant." But today it's a 
different story. "Businesses have seen their customer base expand 
with ADA implementation," said Barton.
     "Businesses used to say they didn't have any disabled 
patrons anyway, so why make their establishments accessible?" 
recalled George Lewis, who chairs the Mayor's Committee on 
Disability Concerns. "The ADA has been very helpful," he says, 
"as businesses realize that by working toward accessibility they 
are adding customers--people with disabilities--who couldn't 
patronize their establishments before."
     The growth in disability consciousness that the ADA has 
helped bring about is giving children with disabilities more 
opportunities to participate in the activities other children 
take for granted, explained Kenny Violette, ADA Coordinator for 
the City of Yukon. He described an effort underway in his 
community of 18,000 to build an accessible playground. "We have 
already received contributions totalling more than $110,000 for 
the Freedom Trail," Violette told those assembled. "The 
playground will not be specifically for children who are 
physically impaired, but will be a place where all children can 
have fun," he said.
     The opportunity to participate is what ADA is all about. 
Cathy Ames, the daughter of a wheelchair user, said, "I see the 
progress the ADA has brought, through my father's eyes." In the 
past, Ames said, her family could not go out to eat without a 
family member first visiting the restaurant to make sure her 
father's wheelchair would make it through the door.
"Sometimes he had to come in through the back entrance," she 
said. It is much easier today, she said. Thanks to the ADA, many 
more places are accessible.


Common Threads

The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers.
        The public is more aware of people with disabilities than 
        just a few years ago.
        People with disabilities have gained confidence and are 
        participating more fully in all aspects of life.
        
        While much remains to be done, the ADA has been a success 
        in increasing opportunities for employment and access to 
        public facilities.

                  NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
                  50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                       OREGON SUMMARY REPORT
                APRIL 21, 1995


Host organization: Oregon Disabilities Commission
NCD Member: Kate Wolters

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in Oregon?

     Oregonians spoke enthusiastically about a number of aspects 
of the ADA and the difference the law has made in their lives and 
the lives of others. Many spoke about the ADA as a stimulus for 
the development of an array of assistive technologies, while 
others focused on employment gains, greater accessibility in 
public accommodations, and other benefits.
     Rachel Cranson told a story about technology and the ADA. 
Cranson, who is blind, has a 15 year old daughter, an honor 
student who is also blind. Cranson got a call from her daughter's 
geometry teacher requesting that the girl drop a class so that 
she could spend extra time with him to learn to draw better for 
geometry, especially since she had expressed interest in a career 
in architecture. ""Get real!" I told him. "She's blind. She'll 
never be an architect. Why should she drop a class?"" The group 
at the Town Meeting laughed when she recalled his reply. ""You 
get real," he told me. He said there are good voice-activated 
computer programs now, and when she graduates from college 
they'll be even better. "She could be a stunning architect!" he 
told me." Cranson attributes the current explosion in assistive 
technologies in part to the ADA.
     T.J. Davis, an accessibility specialist for the Deaf and 
Hearing Impaired Access Project of the Oregon Disabilities 
Commission, described a woman who wanted to be a nurse and also 
had a severe hearing impairment. It seemed she could not achieve 
her goal
because she would be unable to hear through a stethoscope. "But 
then she learned about an electronic stethoscope that transmits 
sound directly to her hearing aids," explained Davis. "... it 
enabled her to become a nurse, and she is now working in a 
nursing home," said Davis. "The ADA is spawning technologies used 
in medical settings, churches, etc. to accommodate a variety of 
disabilities," he went on.
     Clearly, new assistive technologies are augmenting the 
employment provisions of the ADA to expand employment 
opportunities for people with disabilities. Steve Kreutzer, a 
personnel officer for the Oregon Employment Department, described 
three employees within his department who have disabilities. And 
thanks to reasonable accommodations called for in the ADA, they 
are doing well in their jobs. One individual, a tax auditor with 
a hearing loss, makes use of devices for his ears and the phone, 
according to Kreutzer. The man also has a modified workstation, 
designed to keep peripheral noise to a minimum, since background 
noise can interfere with his ability to hear what he needs to 
hear. Kreutzer described another employee, a disabled veterans 
outreach specialist, who suffers from post-traumatic stress 
disorder and other medical conditions as a result of injuries he 
sustained in Vietnam. "We work with his therapist and the 
Disabilities Commission and have obtained hearing assistance 
devices and modifications that he needed," he said. Kreutzer's 
third example was a man who works as a hearing referee. His 
ability to use the telephone was impaired, however, when a large 
part of his vocal cords had to be removed due to cancer. "He 
couldn't be understood over the phone," Kreutzer explained, "but 
we found him special headset equipment that boosts his voice, so 
he can once again conduct hearings over the phone."
     The employment provisions of the ADA have meant a great deal 
to Sandra Kutz and her family. Her son, a young man who is 
retarded, is employed 20 hours a week at a grocery store bagging 
groceries and carrying them to cars for customers. "My son is 
earning a minimum wage and working 20 hours a week," said Kutz. 
"It's a lot better than staying home and not having the chance to 
develop any job skills. Kutz's son has a sympathetic supervisor 
and a job coach to work with him until he learns the job well. 
     Janine Delauney, Executive Director of Portland's 
independent living center, gets a lot of calls from employers. 
"They're not saying "do I have to do that?"" she said, "but more 
and more they're saying, "I never thought about that before."" 
Delauney is finding employers interested in being educated about 
the ADA and interested in accommodating employees.
     While people with disabilities are finding more 
opportunities in the workplace, outdoor activities are more 
accessible as well, thanks to the public accommodations portion 
of the ADA. Jim Ringelberg reports that he feels honored to be 
the lead designer for the Rose Garden Children's Park in 
Portland. A park and play area that will be accessible to all, 
the project would not be underway without the ADA, explained 
Ringelberg. The project includes an accessible play area 
connected to a soccer field, an archery range, and a garden. 
There will be a children's amphitheater with accommodations for 
wheelchair users and children with hearing impairments. "Without 
the ADA we wouldn't have had the standards we needed to make it 
truly accessible," stated Ringelberg.
     Outdoor events like festivals, fairs, and farmers' markets 
are more accessible in Portland, as a result of Michael van der 
Kamm's advocacy efforts with the city Parks and Recreation 
Department. People in wheelchairs had been unable to attend 
outdoor events in the city because of a lack of accessible 
portable toilets. "If we can't go, we don't show," stated van der 
Kamm. He worked with the city government, which agreed to adopt a 
policy requiring any entity seeking a permit for an event in a 
Portland park to have an accessible toilet available. "People 
with disabilities can now participate in Portland's outdoor 
events," remarked van der Kamm, "and it's ADA that has made the 
difference."
     Wheelchair sports are getting more attention and respect 
than before the ADA, according to Judy Arnsmeyer. She described 
the process by which the U.S. wheelchair basketball team is 
chosen. More than 40 athletes in wheelchairs are flown in for the 
try-outs at the expense of the U.S. Basketball Association. "This 
would not have happened before the ADA," commented Arnsmeyer.


Common Threads

The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers:
        Rapid advances in technology have been spurred by the 
        passage of the ADA.
        
        Computer-assisted real time services are helping people 
        with hearing impairments to participate in meetings and 
        other functions. 
        
        The tone of employers is changing. Instead of viewing the 
        ADA as a burdensome law, they are more likely to want to 
        do what is necessary to accommodate.
        
        Assistive technologies are proving to be reasonable 
        accommodations that are enabling more people with 
        disabilities to function well in the workplace.
        
        More doctors' and dentists' offices are becoming 
        accessible.
        
        People with all sorts of disabilities are feeling 
        encouraged, empowered, and good about themselves.


                  NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
                  50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                    PENNSYLVANIA SUMMARY REPORT
                MARCH 10, 1995


Host organizations: Pennsylvania Office of Vocational 
Rehabilitation, Pennsylvania Coalition of Citizens with 
Disabilities, Pennsylvania State Independent Living Council
NCD Member: Jack Gannon

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in Pennsylvania?

     One of the most important benefits of the ADA, many in 
Pennsylvania said, has been the change in attitudes that has 
resulted. Attitudes toward disabilities have changed among 
non-disabled and disabled people alike. Some testified about 
improved access to workplace accommodations that have made 
employment possible, and others addressed the ADA's beneficial 
impact on the economy and on other disability-related 
legislation.
     While no law can mandate a change in attitudes, many of the 
tangible changes wrought by the ADA have helped the public to 
view people with disabilities in a different light.  When a 
bicycle accident in 1986 put Jim Penta in a wheelchair, he lost 
his job. "I was told that customers are turned off by a person in 
a wheelchair," Penta said. Not only is Jim working today but he 
is employed as a salesman for a national appliance company.  "I 
finished in the top 10% recently in a sales competition," he 
said.  Clearly, his career is not suffering from negative 
perceptions of disabilities.
     We are beginning to see more people with disabilities in 
movies and ads, reported Lisa Janoff, an independent living 
specialist at Liberty Resources in Philadelphia. "As a woman with 
a disability, I really appreciate the ADA." Janoff described the 
excitement people at Liberty Resources feel when they see 
magazine ads showing people driving cars with hand controls. 
     Partly because of changing attitudes, Dee Sheypeck's 
daughter, a wheelchair user, is employed as a model in New York. 
"Danielle is one of the first models in a wheelchair," said her 
mother, who related another recent story that reveals changing 
attitudes toward disabilities. When a friend of Danielle's heard 
someone describe Danielle as 'handicapped,' the friend replied, 
"She's not handicapped; she just can't walk."
     Because of the rising awareness about disabilities and the 
need for access, even entities not covered by the ADA are taking 
steps to become accessible. "I know of churches and private clubs 
that have voluntarily made their facilities accessible, so that I 
and others with disabilities can participate," said Howard Ervin.  
Attitudes among disabled people themselves have changed as a 
result of the ADA, several said. "I prefer to think of myself as 
'handi-capable' rather than 'handicapped,'" said Michael 
Donmoyer, who uses a wheelchair. "I'm handy and I'm capable," he 
said. "The ADA has affected me bunches."
     Attitudes are clearly changing for the better. A more 
tangible benefit of the ADA, however, is the growth in employment 
opportunities for people with disabilities. Many Pennsylvanians 
shared stories about their successes in the workplace. Joan 
Fenicle, who is deaf, works in a state office where people come 
to pay fees. "I use the relay service, and lights have been 
installed that alert me to what's going on," said Fenicle. She 
says others in her office have been receptive to learning to 
communicate with her. 
     Sylvia Martin, also deaf, works for the Pennsylvania 
Department of Transportation. For years she had had no phone at 
work or at home. "But thanks to the ADA, they got me a TTY at 
work," she said. 
     Another successful deaf person, Richard Harkins, has worked 
as a car mechanic for 26 years, the last 14 as a supervisor. "Lip 
reading made me miss a lot," he said. "But thanks to the ADA, I 
now have access to an interpreter. That's a tremendous benefit 
that helps me every day on the job," stated Harkins.
     "I'm here to let you know how much the ADA has helped me 
with my job," Leslie Kelly told NCD. Kelly, who is deaf, relies 
on an interpreter and the relay service. "Since so many 
businesses, schools, etc., don't have TTY, the relay enables me 
to conduct business
with anyone," she said. "The ADA has changed many peoples' lives, 
including my own," said Kelly.
     David Golin credits the ADA with helping him get the 
accommodations he needs to do his job. "When I started my job," 
said Golin, "there was no accessible bathroom on my floor, so I 
always had to take the elevator to another floor." Now there is 
an accessible bathroom on the floor where he works. Another 
accommodation Golin uses daily is word prediction software. "I 
just have to type a few keystrokes; it's a great help in my 
work," he said. 
     Reasonable accommodation is not usually expensive, according 
to Janet Wolf of Citizens for Independence and Access in York. 
"Sears & Roebuck made 436 workplace accommodations between 1978 
and 1992 and found that two-thirds of them cost nothing," Wolf 
reported. "The average cost of accommodating disabled employees 
was just $121," she said.
     While the ADA has helped many individuals with disabilities 
to be taxpaying wage earners, the ADA is also good for the 
economy as a whole, says Allen Mertz a self-employed durable 
medical equipment supplier who uses a wheelchair.  "Now that the 
ADA is helping people with disabilities participate more fully in 
society, the need for adaptive equipment is growing," said Mertz. 
There are ramps and lifts to be built, walkers, wheelchairs, and 
electric door openers to be manufactured, and adaptive computer 
software to be designed. All of these industries will yield jobs 
and pump more money into the economy, he explained.
     Finally, the ADA's existence increases compliance with 
another disability-related law, the Individuals with Disabilities 
Education Act. Cheryl Brand said she had to fight for her nine 
year old son who has emotional problems to be able to attend 
public school and ride the school bus. "The ADA is what finally 
got him in school," said his mother. She believes the ADA has 
made school officials and others aware that people with 
disabilities have civil rights.
     Phyllis Koster reported that her son Taylor, who is mildly 
retarded, is successful both academically and socially in his 
mainstream seventh grade class. "The kids truly like and
accept him and are learning to look beyond differences," said 
Taylor's mom. She sees his success as a result, in part, of the 
ADA and the increased awareness it has brought about.

Common Threads

The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers:
        Attitudes toward disabilities have improved, among people 
        with and without disabilities.
        
        The number of curb cuts has increased, and that has 
        greatly increased the ability of people in wheelchairs to 
        get around.
        
        Access to interpreters and new technologies for people 
        with hearing impairments are expanding employment 
        opportunities for them.
        
        Access to interpreters in medical settings has enabled 
        people with hearing impairments to become informed 
        participants in their own health care. 



                  NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
                  50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                    RHODE ISLAND SUMMARY REPORT
                MARCH 21, 1995


Host organization: Rhode Island Governor's Commission on the 
Handicapped
NCD Member: Jack Gannon

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in Rhode Island?

     Rhode Islanders told NCD about the many positive effects the 
ADA has had on their lives. From public accommodations to 
employment, from the relay service to transportation, the ADA has 
made a big difference to many people. 
     The variety of public accommodations that have become 
accessible is great. For example, grocery shopping used to be an 
ordeal for Karen Nelson, who has multiple sclerosis. But now when 
she goes to Stop and Shop to buy her groceries, she knows a 
motorized cart will be there for her. "I'm thankful that I can 
shop self-sufficiently," remarked Nelson. "And people in the 
store are very helpful about getting items that I can't reach. 
K-Mart stores also provide scooters, Nelson pointed out. "I 
really appreciate the ADA giving the stores the impetus to 
provide scooters," she added.
     Lorna Ricci has noticed that shopping has become easier 
since the ADA for a different reason. Ricci, who is extremely 
visually impaired, explained that before the ADA she was 
reluctant to ask for help from a sales clerk or a waiter. "I was 
regarded as odd," she said. "But now, with the ADA, people have 
more awareness. When I ask people to read something for me 
because I'm visually impaired, they are usually cooperative," she 
said. Ricci believes she spends more money now that the ADA is in 
effect. She gave an example of shopping in a bookstore for her 
nephew. "Because the sales clerk was so helpful in showing me a 
variety of books my nephew would like," commented Ricci, "I ended 
up
buying more books and spending more money than I would have 
before the ADA, when shopping for gifts was so much more 
difficult."
     Physical access in many communities has been increasing 
rapidly since the ADA was enacted. "We have curb cuts and ramps 
sprouting up like weeds all around the state," exclaimed Edward 
Schroeder, of the Rhode Island Independent Living Council. 
Schroeder also described what the Catholic Church is doing to 
increase access for people with disabilities. The Bishop of the 
Diocese of Rhode Island, he explained, has issued a letter 
stating that the ADA can be considered diocesan policy regarding 
disabilities.
     Access to public accommodations is making life better for 
children with disabilities, according to two parents who spoke. 
Teresa Nickerson has a three year old daughter who is deaf, 
legally blind, and cannot use her arms and legs. "Because of the 
ADA," Nickerson said, "my husband and I can much more easily take 
our daughter places." Nickerson feels that, thanks to the ADA, 
more people with disabilities are getting out into the community, 
and their presence is a good example for her daughter. 
     Another parent, John Sousa, has three sons with 
disabilities, and Sousa himself is legally blind. He described 
his recent use of the ADA in advocating for appropriate 
accommodation for one son who is mentally retarded and a 
wheelchair user. The boy had been accepted in a week-long 
self-esteem building program with others his age, but "we were 
told he couldn't come to the program unless he had a 24-hour a 
day attendant to take care of him." Sousa tried to explain that 
his son needs much less care than that. "In fact, an adult 
attached to the boy 24 hours a day would interfere with his 
ability to participate in the program," said Sousa. By invoking 
the ADA, Sousa managed to get the director to back off, and his 
son was able to participate fully in the program, where he also 
formed some new friendships. "So," his father added, "using the 
ADA and the tools it makes available, he's made linkage with some 
new friends."
     Because of increasing access in public accommodations, 
Robert Gearing is able to use his abilities in his chosen field 
of work. "I can say without hesitation that I would not be able 
to fully perform my job without the passage of some kind of 
national accessibility legislation," Gearing wrote in a letter he 
submitted to NCD. A wheelchair user, Gearing is a
marketing manager in the tourism industry and must travel 
frequently around the country. "The first and foremost benefit I 
have found with ADA is the requirement of minimum standards for 
accommodations in hotels," he wrote. He no longer feels he is 
asking too much when he expects a hotel to provide him with an 
accessible room. Gearing also says that the conventions and trade 
shows he attends must comply with the ADA, and this means that 
shuttle transportation, meeting facilities, and programs are all 
accessible. "The associations and meeting planners that produce 
these shows now have a standard from which they can operate in 
uniform fashion," Gearing writes. Gearing feels that he is 
well-qualified for the work he does, but "without the ADA, I 
would not have the opportunity to pursue a career that my talents 
are best suited for."
     Beth Wilson, an engineer who is hard of hearing, commented 
that "the ADA permits me to pursue professional growth." Wilson 
described a recent conference she attended in Boston. Had it been 
held before the ADA, "I would have been forced to refuse," she 
said. But because the conference hotel was accessible, Wilson was 
able to hear every speaker with the use of FM equipment, and she 
could move to different sessions and compare notes with 
colleagues. And, as Wilson pointed out, she is not the only one 
who benefited from her attendance at the conference. The 
sponsoring organization benefited because she bought a $1,500 
ticket; her company benefited because what she learned at the 
conference was applicable to her work; and the city of Boston 
benefited because she spent time in its stores and restaurants. 
     Jim Litvack believes that he owes his job in his chosen 
field to the ADA. Litvack, who is deaf, works as an independent 
living counselor. At work he has the accommodations he needs--a 
light on his telephone that flashes when someone is trying to 
page him, a TDD, and access to an interpreter.
     A service for people with hearing impairments that is 
mandated by the ADA is the relay. And its benefits are 
far-reaching. For Bruce Bucci, the relay has transformed his 
family. The deaf son of deaf parents, Bucci described the 
pressure on his hearing brother to make all the family's phone 
calls, explain everything that was happening on TV, and be the 
interpreter in situations that were too difficult for a child to 
handle. "It was often very
confusing," said Bucci through an interpreter. But today things 
are different. "We're all independent now. We don't have to 
depend on my brother to do things for us." The ADA, Bucci 
explained, has made people with hearing impairments more powerful 
and has given them privacy.
     Andrew Knight, also deaf, credits the ADA with opening doors 
for him personally and professionally. "I can call the hospital, 
fire department, and rescue squad," he said. "And I can call a 
relative to wish them a happy birthday!" Knight also uses the 
relay in his work. The manager of a senior citizen center, Knight 
has found the relay vital to daily operations. "I was able to 
make requisitions and reservations, secure entertainment, order 
supplies, communicate with City Hall, and call the police in an 
emergency, and make appointments for meetings." He was also able 
to use the relay to make confidential calls regarding an 
employee. Knight believes he would not have gotten the job if it 
were not for the relay.
     Another important benefit of the ADA is increased access to 
transportation. "Public transportation in Rhode Island is 
excellent for the handicapped," stated Edward Schroeder, and 
others agreed.
     Intercity travel is also easier. Beth Wilson is happy that 
when she travels, she no longer has to bring along her 
accessibility supplies--FM equipment, a special alarm clock, her 
phone flasher, her amplifier, and a smoke alarm. "Quite a load 
and quite a battle at the airport," she laughed. Now when Wilson 
checks into a hotel, she just asks for the hearing impaired kit.

Common Threads

The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers:
        The relay has made a huge difference in the lives of deaf 
        people and their families and friends.
        
        Transportation has become more accessible and more 
        readily available.
        
        People without disabilities are more cooperative and 
        willing to help people with disabilities.
        
        Many stores make shopping scooters available to customers 
        who need them. 
        
        More hotels are accessible.
        
        Children with disabilities have been able to participate 
        more fully in activities other children take for granted.
         
        Assistive technologies have opened doors of access for 
        many with disabilities.

                  NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
                  50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                   SOUTH CAROLINA SUMMARY REPORT
               FEBRUARY 9, 1995


Host organization: South Carolina Protection and Advocacy for the 
Handicapped, Inc.
NCD Member: Marca Bristo, Chairperson

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in South Carolina?

     South Carolinians reported that the ADA has made a 
difference in very positive ways. Some explained that the Act is 
good for business, while others addressed greater accessibility 
in transportation, and increased opportunities for people with 
hearing impairments to participate in mainstream American life.
     There are many examples of businesses benefiting from the 
ADA, according to Chip Harraford. Director of the South Carolina 
Assistive Technologies Project, Harraford described a program 
established by a local lending institution to help people with 
disabilities get assistive technology devices, especially those 
that would make employment or education possible. "This program," 
said Harraford, "means more business for the lender, and it's a 
direct result of the ADA." And the program relies on no state or 
federal funds, according to Harraford. 
     Wes Gibbs, who chairs the Disability Subcommittee for the 
Mayor of Columbia, agrees that the ADA is good for business. "All 
10 Taco Bell stores in the area are accessible, thanks to the 
attitude of their owner," said Gibbs. He explained that he and 
Taco Bell owner Fred Katowski visited all 10 stores to determine 
exactly what was needed to make each accessible. "Katowski saw 
this as a good, no-nonsense approach to improving his business," 
said Gibbs. The ADA is landmark legislation, Gibbs believes.
     Not only is the ADA good for business, some said, but it 
often costs businesses very little to comply. According to Rena 
Burnside of South Carolina Protection and Advocacy for the 
Handicapped, Inc., "people are often surprised that the cost to 
comply with ADA is so low." She cited one hotel owner who worried 
that bringing his facility into compliance would be very costly. 
"He was pleasantly surprised when he learned how inexpensive the 
changes would actually be."
     Some employers deserve high marks for their efforts to 
comply with ADA and meet the needs of employees with 
disabilities. Home Depot, a retailer with outlets across the 
country, was praised by employee Jeff Miller, a wheelchair user. 
"When I started working at Home Depot, I was asked what could be 
done to make the store accessible for me and for others as well," 
explained Miller. "At my request, the cash register was modified 
so that I could operate it."
     Another employer that drew praise was the South Carolina 
Electric and Gas Company. "They are ahead of the bell curve in 
ADA compliance," stated Lewis Stephens, a wheelchair user who has 
worked for the company for a decade. "Even before the ADA, the 
company made an effort to accommodate me," says Stephens. "But 
since the ADA, it has been even better. The ADA is great for all 
disabled people in the United States," he said.
     Reasonable accommodations called for in the ADA can make all 
the difference. Donald Bird, whose fiancee works in a bank, said 
that she has access to an interpreter on the job. "Without the 
interpreter," he said, "she could not have retained her job and 
continued to improve in her work."
     Employment helps people with disabilities to achieve 
independence, as well as providing them with a paycheck that 
makes them self-supporting. Maureen Arnett is proud that her 
29-year old son who has autism is holding down a job. "He lives 
with two other young men, one mentally retarded, and one visually 
impaired," she said. "And all are working."
     Barriers to career choices are also falling, as a result of 
the ADA. One unidentified woman stated that "before the ADA, 
medical universities in South Carolina could exclude people based 
on their disability." But today the woman, who is a wheelchair 
user, is studying
occupational therapy at the Medical University of South Carolina. 
"And when I graduate, I'll be working and paying taxes," she 
said.
     Fortunately, in addition to increasing opportunities in 
employment, the ADA is also helping people with disabilities to 
get to their jobs. "Access to transportation is the single 
greatest impact of the ADA," proclaimed David Reeves of the 
Disability Action Center in Columbia. "Before ADA, we had no 
transportation at all."
     Maxie Turner is also excited about her increased access to 
public transportation. "Because of the ADA I can now ride the 
bus," she said. "I'm so excited, I feel like a child with my 
first bike!"
     Before the ADA, access to transportation for people with 
disabilities was considered a luxury, according to Michelle 
Busick, Marketing Director for Santee Regional Transit Authority. 
"Now we know that transportation is a necessity if people are to 
go to work and participate in society," she said. Santee operates 
buses that carry as many as five wheelchairs, and more buses that 
are accessible have been ordered. And Santee staff members meet 
quarterly with users of paratransit to discuss the adequacy of 
the service. "We keep a list of people who couldn't get to work 
before but are able to now," Busick stated. She mentioned one man 
who had told her that without this transportation he would not be 
able to go to work and feel confident.
     The law's provisions for accessibility in transportation and 
public accommodations are allowing people with disabilities to 
partake more freely of entertainment, shopping, and other 
community activities. Most new stores have plenty of parking for 
people with disabilities, according to Judy Arplaster, whose 
disability makes standing, walking, and climbing stairs 
difficult. And an unidentified speaker said she has noticed that 
small businesses are likely to be receptive to making changes for 
accessibility. "Ninety-nine per cent of the time, all we need to 
do is make someone aware of inaccessibility," she said, "and they 
want to try to do something about it."
     Perhaps one of the greatest benefits of the ADA is the relay 
service, which allows people who cannot use a traditional 
telephone because of a hearing or speech impairment to 
communicate with people who use traditional telephones. "I used 
to come home from work at
lunch to make my husband's phone calls," says Linda Van Nusen, 
whose husband is speech impaired. "The relay enables him to make 
his own calls," she says. Van Nusen, who uses a wheelchair, 
comments that "the ADA is a great law."
     Finally, the impact of ADA extends beyond U.S. borders, 
according to an unidentified speaker. An athlete who uses a 
wheelchair, she explained, "I compete in wheelchair sports 
internationally, and people I compete with are so impressed with 
the ADA. They want to get their own governments to do what our 
government is doing."

Common Threads

The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers:
        The ADA is good for business. Making a few accommodations 
        often increases business.
        
        Some businesses and employers in the area are doing a 
        great job in implementing the ADA.
     
        The telecommunications relay service is a great help to 
        people with hearing impairments. 
        
        The increase in parking spaces for people with 
        disabilities has made access to stores, employment, and 
        other facilities much easier.
         
        South Carolinians with disabilities are experiencing an 
        increased sense of citizenship and empowerment.

                  NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
                  50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                    SOUTH DAKOTA SUMMARY REPORT
                 JUNE 8, 1995

Host organization: Western Resources for dis-ABLED Independence
NCD Member: Debra Robinson

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in South Dakota?

     South Dakotans spoke enthusiastically about the difference 
the ADA has made in their lives, in terms of access to a variety 
of places and activities, greater opportunities in employment, 
and accessible transportation. Several also spoke about an 
intangible benefit of the ADA--increased self-confidence.
     The ADA has brought about access to a wide range of public 
accommodations. Terresa Thompson gave an example of a restaurant 
in Starfish. "At first the owner struggled against becoming 
accessible because he feared the cost would be way too much," she 
said. But after working with several people in the disability 
community, the owner made the necessary changes, Thompson 
explained. "He is now extremely  excited about the changes that 
he has made because it has increased his business." The 
restaurateur's efforts were acknowledged by Western Resources for 
dis-ABLED Independence when the organization presented him with 
its Barrier-Basher award.
     Thompson also told NCD that her church has become accessible 
since the ADA went into effect. "Now there are about 10-15 people 
with various disability types that are attending the church," she 
stated. Churches, by the way, are not covered by the ADA, but 
Thompson's church is one of many that is making accessibility 
changes so that members and potential members with disabilities 
will not be excluded.
     Pam High reported that her town of Sturgis has put in curb 
cuts, so that people who use wheelchairs, electric scooters, and 
walkers can safely move about. High praised her
town's government for making sure that the curb cuts are kept 
clear of ice and snow in the winter.
     Even South Dakota's small towns are making accessibility 
changes. "In my travels through many of the small towns of 
western South Dakota," explained Lauren Tolberg, "I have noticed 
more and more small businesses making their bathrooms and parking 
accessible." While Tolberg acknowledges that much remains to be 
done, she believes that the changes she has seen reflect a shift 
in attitude toward people with disabilities.
     Recreation is becoming more accessible because of the ADA, 
Pat Czerny reported. He pointed out that the Black Hills Play 
House, a major tourist attraction in western South Dakota, has 
made its performances accessible to the deaf and hearing 
impaired. "At least one performance of each play presented has 
sign language interpreters," he said.
     One reason buildings are becoming more accessible, explained 
Hyatt Simpson, is that builders are doing a better job in the 
design stage. She pointed out that doorways and halls are more 
often being made wide enough.
     Shelly Pfaff is not disabled, but she appreciates the fact 
that public accommodations are becoming more accessible. Now she 
is able to enjoy getting together with her disabled friends at 
restaurants and church. In the past, the only places they could 
get together were their homes.
     While access to public accommodations has allowed people 
with disabilities to participate in many of the activities 
able-bodied people take for granted, the importance of employment 
access cannot be overlooked. And the ADA has made a big 
difference in that area, many at the Town Meeting said. Don 
Michlitsch, of South Dakota Services to the Blind and Visually 
Impaired, commented that he has seen a change in the attitude of 
employers. They are now more willing to work with disabled 
employees, he pointed out.
     In addition to employers' greater receptivity to employees 
with disabilities, the ADA provides for reasonable accommodations 
in the workplace. Venaline Gogue, who works as a store cashier, 
has a back injury which does not allow her to stand for long 
periods. But the store owner insisted that she stand while she 
work, so Gogue requested assistance from South Dakota Advocacy 
Services. She got help in explaining the ADA to the owner, and a
reasonable accommodation was found--a stool for her to use when 
she needs to sit. Gogue has been able to keep her job and is 
quite pleased about it. She also reports that she finds people 
more willing to accept her and her disability since the ADA 
became law.
     Tari Kilian has also benefited from the ADA when it comes to 
employment. Before the ADA, "employers took one look at my thick 
glasses and dismissed my abilities altogether," she said. She was 
also out of luck, she said, because she could not read the 
computer screen. "I am happy to report that due to the ADA I was 
provided with an extremely beneficial accommodation," she said. 
"I was provided a computer program that enhances the print on the 
screen. This allows me to read and see what I was typing. I no 
longer have to depend on other workers to complete my work 
duties." Kilian added that the computer skills she has gained 
have improved her status in the workplace.
     While access to the workplace is vital for most people, 
being able to get there is also important. And thanks to the ADA, 
many people with disabilities now have the transportation they 
need to get to their jobs. Kathy Ertel commented that, thanks to 
improvements in public transit, she can get to work as well as do 
other things she needs to do, like grocery shopping.
     Public transit has also made a difference to Shelly Schock. 
"Due to the ADA," she said, "the City of Rapid City has made 
their transit system accessible, which has allowed me to get to 
work and maintain my employment." 
     Sandy Magnavito spoke on behalf of her mother who, before 
the ADA, could not use public transit in Rapid City because it 
was not accessible. "But thanks to the ADA and myself advocating 
on her behalf, she can now use the transit system to go shopping, 
run errands, and go to doctor appointments," said Magnavito.
     Although not as tangible as transportation, work, and public 
accommodations, the increase in self-confidence reported by many 
individuals with disabilities as a result of the ADA is 
important. Scotty Backens spoke for others as well when he 
commented, "the ADA has given me self-confidence, support, and a 
boost in self-esteem. It has made me feel like a first class 
citizen."
     Audrey Cherrette remarked that she feels the ADA has allowed 
people to admit that they have a disability by giving them 
self-confidence and a sense of support. "They are no longer 
ashamed about being labeled as a disabled person," commented 
Cherrette.
     And to Laura Moeding, the ADA is for everyone. "It is an act 
that guarantees all of us the right to equal participation in 
society," she said simply.

Common Threads

The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers:
        People with disabilities are making gains in 
        self-confidence and self-esteem.
        
        Public transit, once off-limits to many people with 
        disabilities, is much more accessible, and people are 
        using it for work, shopping, medical appointments, and 
        other errands.
        
        Many buildings and community activities are now 
        accessible to people with disabilities.
        
        Reasonable accommodations in the workplace are making it 
        possible for people with disabilities to be gainfully 
        employed.
     
        Curb cuts are becoming plentiful. They can now be found 
        in cities and small towns alike.


                  NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
                  50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                     TENNESSEE SUMMARY REPORT
                 APRIL 6, 1995


Host organization: Coalition for Tennesseans with Disabilities
NCD Member: Marca Bristo

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in Tennessee?

     Tennesseans are enthusiastic about the impact the ADA has 
had on their lives, according to those who participated in 
Tennessee's Town Meeting. The law has been especially meaningful 
to families, but businesses have also benefited. Employment 
opportunities for people with disabilities have increased, and 
state and county agencies have expanded access at little cost. 
Transportation has also become more accessible. And for the most 
part, positive changes have been the result of voluntary action 
and self-advocacy, rather than legal action.
     "Before the ADA was passed, my family couldn't go anyplace 
together because of my mom's wheelchair," explained Kristopher 
Hazard, an eight year old. "But now," he says, "many places are 
accessible, and we can go on outings as a family. I'm glad for 
the ADA." Kristopher is pleased that his mother can also go 
places alone. The local bank, the post office, and other places 
in the community have installed ramps and handicapped parking.
     Kristopher's mother Sharon Hazard echoes her son's 
appreciation of the ADA. Now that the community has become more 
accessible, she no longer has to ask her children to run errands 
for her. "My kids are free to be kids. And by increasing 
accessibility, the ADA has allowed me to be the mom I want to 
be." Hazard believes the ADA has made significant changes in the 
lives of people with disabilities. "Definitely in mine," she 
said.
     Another mother also credits the ADA with allowing her child 
to be a child. Sherry Rademacher, who is deaf, remembers that 
before the ADA, she had to ask her daughter to make phone calls 
for her and interpret for her. "Now she can play," said 
Rademacher. "I don't have to interrupt her any more. We both like 
it better this way!"
     Ian Miller, whose wife Angela has cerebral palsy, is a fan 
of the ADA. "Since the ADA, so many opportunities have opened 
up," he said. "Now we can go into any market together without my 
having to lift Angela over the curb." Miller's consumer habits 
have been influenced by the ADA. "Even when Angela is not with 
me," he says, "I try to patronize accessible places. If I have a 
choice between a place that is not accessible and one that is, 
I'll choose the one that is." 
     In addition to families, businesses have also benefited from 
the ADA. Two restaurant owners testified that making their 
restaurants accessible was a wise business decision. Jock Lijoi 
first began to think about making his restaurant accessible when 
he met the Hazard family, who live in his community. Lijoi built 
a ramp, a deck, and additional parking. "And people in 
wheelchairs are not the only ones who benefit from the changes. 
We are in a tourist area, and there are a lot of elderly people 
as well as young people with strollers who take advantage of the 
ramp," he said. Lijoi is setting aside money to redo the 
bathrooms and offer Braille menus. "I encourage other business 
owners to go above and beyond the ADA," said Lijoi. "This has 
increased my business."
     Another restaurant owner, Ricky Moore, agrees with Lijoi. 
"The bridges and ramps we added benefit the business through 
increased patronage," she said.
     Other businesses have also found accessibility good for the 
bottom line. Paul Gibson manages a large Nashville hotel. "We've 
improved guest rooms, parking, and have educated staff about the 
possible needs of disabled guests," he said. The stairs at the 
entrance to one of the hotel restaurants will be removed, and 
several guest rooms that are being renovated will connect with 
non-accessible rooms, for use by people who travel with 
attendants. 
     The ADA has made a big difference when it comes to 
employment, several said. Glen Barr spoke on behalf of "several 
friends who couldn't come because they're working. Blame the ADA 
for that!" He described his three friends, successful workers who 
have
disabilities. Then he added, "Employers are seeing advantages to 
hiring people with disabilities. They are competent employees, 
enthusiastic and productive. My friends and I appreciate the 
ADA," he said.
     Diane Coleman described how an employer was able to retain a 
valued employee, in spite of her disability. Coleman, the 
Co-Director of the Technical Access Center in Middle Tennessee, 
related that a hospital had been pleased with its medical 
transcriptionist for many years. When she began to lose her 
sight, the hospital approached the Center for help. The hospital 
learned about screenreading software and voice synthesizers and 
acquired the equipment, so that the employee could continue her 
work. 
     Kenton Dickerson of the Chattanooga Independent Living 
Center stated that he has placed 54 people with disabilities in 
jobs. In addition to being productive citizens, these people have 
contributed $91,000 in taxes to their local, state, and federal 
governments.
     The state government in Tennessee has hired many people with 
disabilities, and the cost of accommodation has been low. "More 
than half the accommodations cost nothing at all," reported James 
Davis, the state ADA Coordinator. For those accommodations that 
did cost money, the average cost was $206, according to Davis.
     Part of making community activities accessible is 
transportation. Susan Stacy praised the improvements the city of 
Knoxville has made in public transportation to comply with the 
ADA. "In 1992 paratransit was restricted to medical trips," said 
Stacy."I couldn't use it to get to job interviews. Now I can take 
it almost anywhere. I can take my three year old to a movie, a 
store, etc." Saturday hours have been added, she said, and the 
service is widely used.
     One of the most successful aspects of the ADA is that most 
of the improvements that have taken place have been made 
voluntarily. Many citizens have self-advocated, but few have 
resorted to legal action. Wynelle Carson is typical. Although she 
was vice president of her local arts guild, she had to enter 
through the back door. She requested a ramp at the front door and 
got it. Larry Breneman is also typical. He, along with others, 
wrote letters to a local grocery store requesting ramps and 
parking for people with disabilities. Their requests were 
honored. Breneman also asked for and got an elevator installed in 
the city hall after he
told officials that being carried to the second floor for city 
council meetings was unacceptable to him and that it presented a 
liability problem for the city.

Common Threads

The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers:
        Making accessibility improvements can be good for 
        business.
        
        Many business owners are looking for information about 
        how to make their facilities accessible at a reasonable 
        cost.
        
        Many restaurants and hotels are now accessible.
        
        Workplace accommodations are usually inexpensive. And a 
        willingness to make accommodations attracts quality 
        employees.
        
        In many cases, modifications made to benefit people with 
        disabilities benefit people without disabilities as well.

                  NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
                  50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                       TEXAS SUMMARY REPORT
              FEBRUARY 22, 1995

Host organization: Texas Governor's Committee on People with 
Disabilities
NCD Member: Mary Raether

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in Texas?

     The ADA has positively affected the lives of a great many 
Texans, especially in employment, but also in terms of increased 
access to higher education and a variety of other activities.
     Brian Smith, who is blind, is the Assistant Vice President 
for Personnel at NationsBank in Dallas. NationsBank, he said, is 
committed to complying with the ADA by making reasonable 
accommodations for employees with disabilities. In fact, the 
company has established a separate cost center, so that managers 
are free to base their hiring decisions on skill, education, and 
experience, rather than on the cost of accommodation. "Besides," 
Smith pointed out, "the average cost of accommodation at 
NationsBank has been less than $200." Smith credits the ADA for 
the employment opportunities available to him. "The ADA opened 
doors for me to use my education and experience to get a good job 
and to do what I was trained to do," he said.
     Robert Langford agrees that the ADA has made an important 
difference when it comes to employment. "The ADA," he says, "has 
given people with disabilities the opportunity to compete in the 
marketplace for employment." And thanks to reasonable 
accommodations called for by the ADA, "people with disabilities 
can get the equipment they need to work side by side with their 
non-disabled coworkers," said Langford.     
     The DFW Airport has embraced the ADA. Before the ADA was 
passed, according to Kimberly Bunting, of the Dallas Mayor's 
Committee, the airport used arbitrary methods to
reduce the number of applicants it considered for employment. 
With the ADA, arbitrary barriers to employment were removed. "DFW 
Airport reports that they are finding better applicants than 
before and would like to hire more people with disabilities," 
reported Bunting.
     Bunting also cited a Dallas hotel that has gone far beyond 
the law's requirements to become an accessibility leader in the 
hotel industry. This hotel, Bunting explained, expects to recoup 
its costs through additional business that will come from being 
an accessible site for conferences, meetings, and other events.
     Citizens from several communities reported that public 
awareness where they live is increasing as a result of the ADA 
and that physical barriers are falling in their communities. "It 
used to be that I couldn't go into public facilities with my 
hearing dog," said Lee Neal, who is hearing-impaired. "Now all 
the police in Mesquite are trained to be aware of service 
animals." Neal believes the training is a result of increased 
awareness of disabilities, brought about by the ADA. 
     "Many physical barriers have been removed in Fort Worth and 
Arlington," related David Gentry, a computer software engineer. 
"These changes, a result of the ADA, are allowing me to get out 
in the community and be part of things," stated Gentry.
     Johnny Martinez started at the University of North Texas in 
1990 when the ADA was enacted. Since then, "UNT has installed 
automatic doors, elevators, curb cuts, and other accommodations 
that make education much more accessible," said Martinez.  The 
ADA has also made faculty members more aware of disabilities, 
according to Martinez, and "professors are now more willing to 
accommodate students with disabilities." 
     "We are more visible now than we were before the ADA," said 
Martinez, "thanks to the removal of barriers brought about by the 
ADA." Martinez believes that as more people with disabilities 
become more visible to the rest of society, public acceptance 
will grow.
     The Texas state government is working hard to comply with 
the ADA by making all of its activities accessible. Joe Bontke, 
Training Coordinator at the Southwest Disability and Business 
Technical Assistance Center, described how even the state lottery 
is being used as a tool to get businesses to comply with the ADA. 
"We asked all 8,000 lottery ticket
vendors if they are accessible. Most said yes, but many actually 
were not," said Bontke. Bontke's organization is providing 
assistance to those that are not yet accessible. Vendors have 
incentive to comply, since they get 1% of the money when they 
sell the winning ticket. "But vendors have to pass an ADA audit 
in order to get the money!" said Bontke.

Common Threads

The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers.
          Attitudes, the major barrier to people with 
          disabilities, have improved.
          Opportunities in employment and education for people 
          with disabilities have expanded.


                  NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
                  50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                        UTAH SUMMARY REPORT
                  MAY 3, 1995


Host organization: Utah Governor's Committee on Employment of 
People with Disabilities
NCD Member: Mary Raether

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in Utah?

     Utahns expressed enthusiasm for the impacts the ADA has had 
on their lives.  In public accommodations, in employment and 
transportation, the ADA had made a positive difference, several 
said.  Others describe the many state and local government 
services that have been made accessible.  And the ADA was also 
hailed as an effective tool for self-advocacy and for the 
awareness it has brought about among the public.
     The area of the ADA's greatest impact, according to most of 
the speakers, is in the area of public accommodation.  Ricki 
Landers, of the Utah Independent Living Center, pointed out that 
shopping malls and entertainment establishments are much more 
accessible, thanks to the ADA.  And sporting activities have also 
become more accessible, she said.  Landers expressed appreciation 
for the incentives that help business owners to make their 
establishments accessible.
     Restaurants have become more accessible, commented Gordon 
Richins of Options for Independence.  Richins, who uses a 
wheelchair, offered special praise for The Village Inn, a new 
restaurant in Logan.  "I can park near the building, and I can 
easily get inside," he said.  "And once in the restaurant, I have 
plenty of room to maneuver," he explained.  I don't feel 
downgraded when I go there."  People without disabilities can 
little imagine how degraded a
person with a disability may feel when he or she cannot get into 
a restaurant, a bathroom, an office, or any other place everyone 
else can use without even having to think about it.
     In addition to the many improvements in access to public 
places, the ADA has also expanded employment options for people 
with disabilities.  Arlene Thomas, of the Utah Independent Living 
Center, commented that employers are becoming more aware of what 
people with disabilities can do and are more willing to hire 
them.
     The Utah state government is assisting with the 
implementation of the ADA's employment provisions.  Anna Jensen, 
Director of the Industrial Commission of Utah's Labor Division, 
explained that her office has instituted an Alternative Dispute 
Resolution program that helps employers and employees become 
better educated about the ADA and its requirements.  "Alternative 
Dispute Resolution has been particularly effective in educating 
employers as to what are considered reasonable accommodations," 
she said.  "Through the Division's educating employers and 
employees about the ADA," Jensen added, "people with disabilities 
have been able to have greater job satisfaction and 
possibilities."
     Of course access to public transportation is an essential 
ingredient in making employment, as well as a host of other daily 
life activities, available to people with disabilities.  "The 
Utah Transit Authority has ordered only buses with lifts since 
August 1990," commented Barbara Toomer of the Disability Rights 
Action Committee.  "Now 85% of all routes are accessible," she 
said.  And Orion III buses have been ordered to strengthen Salt 
Lake City's paratransit program, Toomer explained.  "On the 
whole, I really think the ADA has helped people a great deal," 
Toomer added.
     Several speakers noted major improvements in the 
accessibility of services provided by state and local 
governments.  Barbara Toomer described the state government's 
efforts to remodel state office buildings.  The capital building 
has been renovated, an effort that included overhauling cafeteria 
bathrooms.  "After all," commented Toomer, "as one of our members 
pointed out to the facilities manager, "Didn't your mother tell 
you to wash your hands before eating?"

     One particular state service that has been made accessible 
is the Utah bar exam.  Holly Foster, an attorney with the Legal 
Center for People with Disabilities in Salt Lake City, explained 
that the State Bar had taken the position that it would only 
provide one type of accommodation, regardless of a person's 
disability.  But Foster's office helped a disabled individual 
with a different disability obtain the accommodation necessary to 
take the exam, and she passed it.  "I feel that with that one 
victory, we have educated the Bar regarding their obligations to 
accommodate," remarked Foster, "and we have seen a change in this 
policy which will affect all future candidates with disabilities 
who sit for the Bar in Utah."
     Salt Lake City launched a creative effort to expand the 
number of curb cuts the city could afford to make.  Through 
"Access Salt Lake," businesses purchase curb cuts and are 
recognized for their purchase with a plaque bearing their name.  
Profits from the curb cut sales, reported Barbara Toomer, are 
used to augment community development block grant funds targeted 
for curb cuts in residential areas.  
     Arlene Thomas noted county and municipal services that have 
been made accessible as a result of the ADA.  "Libraries in Davis 
County are being made accessible for people with disabilities," 
she said.  And Sunset City is working to make its buildings and 
parks accessible, Thomas explained.
     Perhaps even more valuable than the ADA's specific 
provisions is the law's effectiveness as a tool that people can 
use to advocate on their own and others' behalf.  Barbara Toomer, 
explained that after the Mayor of Salt Lake City did not act on 
repeated requests to make municipal facilities accessible, 
"approximately 35 people with disabilities showed up in the 
Mayor's office demanding that the city comply with the federal 
law."  Since that meeting, according to Toomer, the Mayor has 
worked closely with citizens with disabilities to increase access 
to municipal services and facilities.  "We were consulted when 
the airport authority examined their facility for access," she 
said.  And Toomer and others were also consulted in the planning 
of a new baseball field.  
     Finally, the awareness brought about by the ADA has made 
many people with disabilities feel more respected.  People are 
becoming aware that the ADA is a civil rights
law, commented Arlene Thomas.  "People with disabilities are 
recognized as people instead of being put aside," she added.

Common Threads
The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers.
          More public accommodations have been made accessible to 
          people with disabilities.
          
          Employment opportunities have expanded for people with 
          disabilities.
          
          Local and state services routinely offered to 
          non-disabled citizens are becoming accessible to people 
          with disabilities as well.

                  NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
                  50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                      VERMONT SUMMARY REPORT
                APRIL 14, 1995


Host organizations: Vermont Developmental Disabilities Council, 
Vermont Division of Vocational Rehabilitation, Vermont Center for 
Independent Living
NCD Member: Larry Brown

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in Vermont? 

     Vermonters told NCD that the ADA has made an enormous 
difference in their lives--in services provided by government 
entities, and in access to employment and public accommodations. 
And the relay service, mandated by the ADA, combined with 
technological advances, have made a world of difference for 
people who are deaf. In addition, the law formed the basis for 
lawsuits and zoning changes which have resulted in improved 
access.
     Several speakers talked about how their cities and towns are 
going to great lengths to make buildings and services accessible 
to all citizens. David Sagi is President of the Board of Aldermen 
in Rutland. A wheelchair user for many years, Sagi told those 
assembled that the building where he now attends aldermanic 
meetings is a building he could not get into when he was growing 
up in Rutland. Sagi also explained that when the Rutland Board 
joined cities all over the country in signing a resolution to 
oppose unfunded mandates from the federal government, "we added 
that we don't consider the ADA and other civil rights laws 
unfunded mandates." 
     Vermont's state government is also moving diligently toward 
accessibility, according to Ron Gonyea. "State buildings have 
instituted levered door handles, ramps, automatic
doors, and other changes that make it easier for people," says 
Gonya. "The ADA is a good law, and it's working," he added. 
     The ADA is helping people with disabilities to get and keep 
jobs. "When employers are shown how to make a reasonable 
accommodation, and they realize it's not a big bucks item," says 
Tom Pombar, Executive Director of the state Developmental 
Disabilities Council, "they're usually willing to cooperate."
     Kevin Veller, Executive Director of the Vermont Association 
of Business, Industry, and Rehabilitation reports that she and 
her staff of job developers notice a major change in job 
prospects for people with disabilities since the ADA was passed. 
"Since the ADA, employers know they have an obligation," she 
says. "And we have better access to employers." Veller went on to 
describe two situations in which the ADA prevented employment 
discrimination. In one recent case an employer posted a job 
opening with her agency. She had a client who was well-qualified 
for the position and sent his resume to the employer. The 
employer was pleased with the resume and wanted to interview the 
applicant right away. "When I told him the individual needs an 
interpreter who won't be available until next week, I could feel 
the employer gulp over the phone," Veller said. "While the hiring 
decision has not yet been made, the employer hung in there. And 
this never would have happened before the ADA," Veller concluded. 
     A second story from VABIR involved a client who was 
interested in pursuing an opening at a bank. "He had never had a 
job and was unsure whether he could handle the responsibilities," 
Veller said, "so we were able to work out a trial with the 
supervisor." The trial went well. The man could perform the 
essential functions of the job, and the supervisor offered him a 
position. Then came word from the supervisor's supervisor that he 
was still 'assessing the matter.' "I explained that my client was 
savvy about his rights under the ADA, and that back pedaling on 
the part of the bank after the offer had been made was not a good 
idea," she said. "They didn't withdraw their offer, and the man 
is employed."
     As essential as access to employment is access to public 
accommodations. For one St. Johnsbury restaurant, an unfortunate 
fire brought with it the opportunity to incorporate access
into the rebuilt structure. "In rebuilding, they consulted me," 
said David Timson, an ADA consultant. "They did a beautiful job 
in making the new restaurant totally accessible," he said. Timson 
also described an accessible bank in the town. "People in 
wheelchairs can get in and do their banking business," he said.
     Libraries are a vital resource for many, and Sanford Marx, 
President of the Friends of the Rutland Free Library read a 
letter from Paula Baker, Librarian, about how the ADA made the 
facility accessible. Housed in a building that dates back to 
1858, the four story library was long on charm but short on 
access. "By 1987 a ramp was built to the front door and the first 
floor had an accessible bathroom," Marx read. But lectures and 
other programs were off limits to people who could not climb 
stairs. It was the formation of a Mayor's committee to address 
access that moved the library board to take action, the letter 
explained. "Officials were consulted, and the voters approved," 
Marx read, and "ADA-approved, we moved back into a fully 
accessible building." Baker's letter concluded, "Those people 
became us, and we became them, which is as it should be."
     As in many other states, in Vermont people who are deaf 
benefit from the ADA in some special ways. "The relay is just 
amazing!" exclaimed Rene Pellerin through an interpreter. The 
state Coordinator of Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing in 
the Department of Aging and Disabilities, Pellerin explained that 
before the ADA, he employed an interpreter two days a week to 
help him make phone calls to hearing people. But inevitably 
Pellerin would have to leave a message when he called and then 
his call would be returned on one of the days when the 
interpreter was not in. Phone tag was intense, but things are 
different with the ADA. "The relay has really changed business 
phone work for deaf people, as well as doctor's calls, etc," 
commented Pellerin. 
     Pellerin is also glad to see FM sound systems at movie 
theaters. "Instead of just dropping my children off at the 
movies," Pellerin said, "I can go and watch with them."
     The ADA helped Pellerin instigate a change that will benefit 
deaf people all over the country. He explained that he had been 
offered a very favorable home and car insurance package. "But 
headquarters turned me down because I'm deaf," he said. 
Apparently deaf
drivers are in a high risk category, even though statistically 
they are not a greater risk than hearing drivers. Pellerin worked 
with the state Human Rights Commission to persuade the insurance 
company to abandon its discriminatory policy against deaf 
drivers. 
     The increased access to interpreters that the ADA has helped 
bring about is appreciated in many settings. But nowhere is it 
more necessary than in the hospital. Yolande Henry explained that 
when her husband had a heart attack, the hospital provided an 
interpreter, and it was a great relief to her. "I could 
understand everything the doctor said," exclaimed Henry. "I see 
more provision for interpreters all over, and it's really 
changing my life," she said.
     Sometimes the ADA supersedes local zoning ordinances. Chryss 
Jones, who works with an independent living center, described an 
instance in which a woman wanted to put a ramp in her apartment 
building to accommodate a wheelchair-using tenant. "The ramp 
would intrude on a setback, explained Jones, "but the ADA 
technical assistance manual says that zoning may have to be 
adjusted in implementing the ADA." The ramp was installed. 
     Jones also cited the owner of a fruit and vegetable stand 
that had burned down. "He wanted to rebuild it with a wider aisle 
to accommodate wheelchairs," said Jones, "but then the structure 
would be so close to an adjacent property as to be a zoning 
violation. The owner of the other property did not mind, and 
again the zoning was easily adjusted to make the produce stand 
more accessible.









Common Threads
The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers:
        Access to interpreters has increased.
        
        Municipal governments are taking action to make their 
        buildings and programs accessible to people with 
        disabilities.
        
        Designated parking is much more available, and the spaces 
        themselves are more likely to be wide enough to 
        accommodate a van with a lift.
        
        Employers are more receptive to hiring people with 
        disabilities.

                  NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
                  50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                   VIRGIN ISLANDS SUMMARY REPORT
                 JUNE 19, 1995


Host organization: Virgin Islands Advocacy Agency
NCD Member: Lilly Pollo

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in the Virgin Islands?

     Citizens of the U.S. Virgin Islands gathered to tell NCD 
their stories about the impacts the ADA has had on their lives. 
The ADA has made a positive difference in employment, and it has 
empowered people with disabilities to speak up for their rights. 
And then there are the many small daily life activities that have 
been enriched as a result of the ADA.
     "Before the ADA," commented Camille Ayala of the Virgin 
Islands Advocacy Agency, "you never saw people with disabilities 
in the workplace. But now you do," she added proudly. And Astrid 
Jones, who is hearing impaired, spoke so happily about her 
part-time position in a store that she drew congratulatory 
applause from the audience. Vanessa Higginbotham is glad for 
ramps and other accommodations that allow her to work as well. 
"I'm just glad to be working," she said. "I'm glad I can get out 
there and do it."
     Another speaker described her friend's success in remaining 
employed despite her rheumatoid arthritis. "She has a flexible 
schedule," explained Stephanie Cott-Williams, a member of the 
Virgin Islands legislature, "so she works when she can, and she 
rests at home when she has to without fear of losing her job." 
Cott-Williams added that the ADA "is a valuable tool to improve 
life for people with disabilities," and she encouraged all those 
present to make use of this landmark piece of legislation. 
     Many Virgin Islanders told NCD that the ADA has empowered 
them as well as others they know to speak up for the rights 
people without disabilities take for granted. "And people with 
disabilities are the best advocates for their own needs," stated 
J.A. Johnson. 
     Roy Williams's experience illustrates Johnson's point. 
Speaking through an interpreter, he explained that through the 
Virgin Islands Advocacy Agency, he was able to get an interpreter 
to accompany him in court. And he won the case against his 
employer who had fired him for not showing up for work. Williams 
had been sick, and his mother had called the restaurant where he 
worked to explain that he could not come to work because of 
illness. "The ADA helped me," Williams said. Without it, he would 
have had a much more difficult time acquiring an interpreter in 
order to challenge his employer's decision in court.
     Jameel Muhammad feels empowered by the ADA, so much so that 
he is acting in his role as auxiliary police officer to ticket 
vehicles that are improperly parked in specially designated 
parking. "We need to make sure the ADA and all disability laws 
are implemented for all of us," Muhammad added.
     Pat Nobbie, the mother of a 10 year old with Down's 
Syndrome, finds the spirit of the ADA empowering. "The ADA gives 
us the expectation," she said, "that people with disabilities 
belong in every area of life. I know my daughter's life will be 
enhanced by the ADA."
     Many in the Virgin Islands testified that their daily lives 
are richer as a result of the ADA's passage. "I say thank you," 
said George Flores, who has AIDS. "If not for the ADA, I wouldn't 
have as wonderful a life as I do. I know, with the ADA, I have 
certain rights," he commented. "I use them because that's what 
they're there for." Flores added that "the ADA gives me the 
ability to be independent."
     The ADA is for everyone, stressed Stephanie Cott-Williams. 
"We don't know when a stroke or a stray bullet or an aneurysm may 
strike," she said. Those who do not directly benefit from the ADA 
today may well benefit from it tomorrow.


Common Threads

The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers:

     The ADA has empowered many people with disabilities to speak 
     up for the reasonable accommodations they need to be fully 
     participating members of society.
        
     Employment opportunities have expanded since the ADA's 
     passage.
        
     The ADA offers many benefits, to disabled and non-disabled 
     citizens alike.
        
     Services for people who are hard of hearing have expanded a 
        great deal. 

Interpreters and TTYs are much more readily available than they 
were in the past.

               NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
               50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                   VIRGINIA SUMMARY REPORT
         MARCH 7, 1995


Host organization: Endependence Center, Inc.
NCD Member: Larry Brown

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in Virginia?

     Things have changed for the better as a result of the ADA, 
Virginians told NCD. Because of improving attitudes about 
disabilities, many businesses have complied with the law without 
being prodded. And many other businesses and facilities have 
responded positively when reminded of their responsibility to 
comply with the law. Access to employment has improved, as has  
access to long distance transportation, some said. And there have 
been other positive changes as well.
     An example for other businesses to follow, several said, is  
the Wal-Mart chain and its policy of making all stores 
accessible. Juanita Blake rides in her wheelchair to her local 
Wal-Mart and, once there, has no trouble getting in and doing her 
shopping. There is always an employee available when a person 
with a disability needs help in shopping at Wal-Mart, speakers 
said. 
     Paul Dodge has found that some stores are willing to 
accommodate him by having a wheelchair available for him to use 
when he comes into the store. "I can use my crutches to get to 
the store," Dodge reported, "and then I transfer to the 
wheelchair for shopping." Dodge reports a domino effect. "When 
the owner of one store sees that another store is providing me 
with a wheelchair, they decide to do it too."

     When it comes to prodding businesses and others to make 
their facilities accessible, it is self-advocacy, not legal 
action, that has done the job in most cases, reported many 
Virginians. Gary Lyle explained that a few years ago his 
neighborhood 7-11 store did not have a ramp. "I went to the 
manager and asked for one," Lyle said, "and a week later it was 
there." When Lyle went to a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant, 
there was a ramp, but a tiny step at the doorway still kept him 
out. He explained the problem to the manager, and it was soon 
fixed. 
     Denise Brown's experience is similar. A few years ago she 
could not get her wheelchair through the check-out line in a 
neighborhood grocery store. After she described what she needed, 
the check-out lane was widened. The same situation existed at a 
drug store, and the difficulty was solved when she raised the 
issue to the manager. 
     Carol Bowen, who gets around on a little motorized "mobie," 
got results when she told a store owner that she could not shop 
at his store because the aisles were too narrow for her mobie. 
"He measured the width of my chair, and then he redid the store," 
says Bowen. "Now it is completely accessible." Bowen also wanted 
to be able to get into a roller rink because she had never had a 
chance to watch her niece and nephew skate. "The owner of the 
rink put in a ramp, and I was the first to use it," Bowen said. 
     Until recently Joseph Moss, who is quadriplegic, had to 
travel to a YMCA 30 miles from his home to obtain the water 
therapy he needs. So when his own town of Abingdon planned to 
build a recreation center, Moss and others with disabilities 
participated in the planning to ensure that ADA standards would 
be met. "But when the building was completed, and we saw that the 
lift for the pool was an old-time, hard to use, hydraulic lift, 
we explained that we needed an automatic lift," he said. 
"Immediately the town bought the type of lift we recommended," 
Moss stated. 
     While self-advocacy efforts are often highly effective, 
sometimes a little legal muscle is needed to bring about 
accessibility. For example, when Ken Paris moved to
Portsmouth two years ago, he found that the nearest medical 
supply store was not accessible. When Paris spoke with the store 
owner, he was told that the owner had been trying to get the mall 
in which the store is located to install a ramp and handicapped 
parking spaces. Moss then contacted the city government and was 
told that because of the age of the shopping center, it could not 
be required to install a ramp or accessible parking. Moss wrote a 
letter informing the shopping center manager that the center was 
not in compliance with ADA accessibility guidelines. He then 
heard from the shopping center that an ADA-experienced contractor 
had been found. Today that shopping center is equipped with a 
ramp and handicapped parking.
     In addition to shopping and services, employment has also 
become more accessible, thanks to the ADA. "Had I not known the 
ADA law I wouldn't have a job now," said William Anthony Howard, 
a teacher assistant in Norfolk. When an injury left him in a 
wheelchair and he lost his school custodial job, Howard sought to 
be rehired. "The school system stalled, even when I met their 
long list of requirements," Howard recounted. He then contacted 
the Endependence Center and got help advocating for fair 
consideration. Howard was hired and he enjoys his work with  
sixth graders. He also believes his presence in the school makes 
children and adults alike more aware of disabilities.
     Travel is another area in which the ADA has made a 
difference to many. "After years of staying home, I can finally 
get out of my house and travel," exclaimed Sally Scubin of 
Hampton Roads. Donald Fennell, who lives in Newport News and uses 
a motorized wheelchair, is pleased that he can take paratransit 
to the Amtrak station, and can travel from there to Richmond.
     There have been numerous other positive changes in the lives 
of many Virginians as a result of the ADA. "It's the little 
things that make a difference," stated Dorothy Akers. She 
appreciates the fact that crosswalk buttons have been lowered, so 
that people in wheelchairs can use them. "Attitudes have also 
improved," she reports. "I can more easily ask for help now and 
get it." Geronimo Offutt feels
he has benefited from the ADA because " I can now go to the 
library without running into a lot of barriers." And Maureen 
Hollowell pointed out that county government offices in rural 
areas have been made accessible.



Common Threads

The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers:
     Self-advocating is usually the most effective way to get 
        businesses to comply with the ADA. 
        
     Access to public transportation and long distance travel 
        has improved.
        
     People without disabilities are more understanding and 
        are more willing to help people with disabilities than in 
        the past.
        
     While society was moving in the direction of greater 
        accessibility before the ADA, the pace of positive change 
        has been much more rapid since the ADA.

               NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
               50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                  WASHINGTON SUMMARY REPORT
        APRIL 26, 1995


Host organization: Governor's Committee on Disability Issues and 
Employment
NCD Member: Mary Raether

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in Washington?

     A number of Washingtonians told NCD about the many positive 
ways in which the ADA has affected their lives. Individuals 
addressed travel--long distance as well as local, the increased 
accessibility of many communities, and the ADA's impact on the  
employment of people with disabilities.
     Paul Wysocki spoke with delight about the trip he and his 
wife made in January to Hawaii. "Our 10 days there were great," 
he said. "The tour buses and trolleys all had lifts, and it felt 
good to be able to travel like anyone else." Wysocki also pointed 
out that since the ADA has made people more aware of 
disabilities, airline passengers arriving at the Seattle-Tacoma 
airport can easily get an accessible van to nearby hotels.  
     Cindy Campbell, who traveled for her job before the ADA was 
enacted, says the difference in hotels' accommodation of deaf 
people has improved markedly. "Back then the hotels didn't 
provide flashing lights, vibrating alarm systems, portable smoke 
detectors, or close captioned TV," says Campbell. Now most of the 
hotels and motels where Campbell stays are well equipped. "I can 
watch TV in a hotel, and I feel safe. If there's an emergency, 
I'll find out about it," Campbell says. "I don't know where
we'd be without the ADA," she added. "Deaf people and people with 
other disabilities have benefited greatly from it."
     Communities are much more accessible than they were not long 
ago. John Evans, who was raised in rural, eastern Washington, is 
deaf and has two brothers with disabilities. "When we were 
growing up, we rarely saw anyone else with a disability," says 
Evans. His little town of Chelan had no curb cuts, or any other 
accommodation for anyone with a disability. "But when I go back 
there now," Evans says, "I see curb cuts, ramps, the relay 
service, etc. It's a different place."
     Seattle, though far different in size than Chelan, has also 
changed with the ADA and the rise in disability consciousness. 
Melissa Kurtz related a story which demonstrates that, despite 
unexpected barriers, she was still able to make her way in her 
city independently. Last fall President Clinton came to Seattle 
for a rally. Kurtz was eager to attend and carefully planned her 
route. She would park her accessible van in a designated parking 
space near the Monorail and ride it to a site near the rally 
where a friend would meet her with her ticket to the event. "When 
I got to the Monorail, it wasn't operating, for security reasons, 
but then I couldn't get my van either because it was in an area 
that had been roped off." Kurtz's only chance to see the 
President was to wheel her chair to the rally, more than a mile 
away. Could she do it? Yes, if there were enough curb cuts. "I 
prayed for curb cuts," she said. "And they were there all the 
way. I made it!"
     Towns all over the state have become more accessible, 
reports Dianne Grace. "I travel around the state for my job," she 
says, "but I couldn't do it if it weren't for the ADA. Grace is 
especially thankful for curb cuts and accessible bathrooms in the 
towns she visits for her work. "Twenty years ago none of these 
accommodations existed," she said.     
     Another individual reported that he is able to do his job 
because of curb cuts and improvements in transportation. "In my 
work I transport myself 15-20 miles a day in my power chair," 
says Jeff Grace. "But I wouldn't be able to go one block
without curb cuts. They're a direct result of ADA." Grace also 
takes 10 different buses on an average day, all lift-equipped. 
"And fortunately most of the buildings I need to visit for my 
work are accessible," Grace noted. "The ADA has allowed me and 
many others with disabilities to become taxpayers."
     Thanks also to the ADA, reasonable accommodation is no 
longer a nicety but a necessity, Melissa Kurtz explained. "When I 
need to request an accommodation, the answer does not depend on 
whether my boss has had a good day or a bad day," she explained. 

Common Threads

The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers:
        Communities are becoming much more accessible to people 
        in wheelchairs, thanks to curb cuts, accessible 
        bathrooms, and improvements in transportation.
        
        People who are hearing impaired have far more access to  
        various activities that others take for granted--going to 
        movies, ordering a pizza, and talking on the phone, to 
        name a few. 
        
        People with disabilities have been effective in using the 
        ADA to advocate for accessibility.

               NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
               50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                WEST VIRGINIA SUMMARY REPORT
         MARCH 9, 1995


Host organization: Mountain State Centers for Independent Living 
NCD Member: Jack Gannon

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in West Virginia?

     All who spoke at West Virginia's Town Meeting expressed 
appreciation for the ADA. Greater access for people with visual 
disabilities, improved employment opportunities, and efforts by 
businesses and municipalities to make facilities accessible were 
some of the outstanding impacts described by presenters.
     "The ADA has made a lot of things possible for me that were 
not possible before," said Willis Saunders, a social worker at 
Huntington State Hospital. Saunders, who is blind, credits the 
ADA with giving him access to electronic devices that help him do 
his job. "I also have access to materials in Braille, so I can 
keep current with the latest information," he said. 
     Ninetta Garner agrees that things have gotten better for 
people with visual impairments. Garner, who teaches at the West 
Virginia School for the Blind, notices in  her travels across the 
state that "Braille restaurant menus have become more common, and 
hotels and motels are using better signage." While public 
transportation is very limited in her area of northeast West 
Virginia, the area transit authority publishes its schedules in 
both Braille and large print. "And the large print schedules help 
senior citizens, as well as people with visual impairments," 
stated Garner.
     Michelle Douglas, who is visually impaired, is pleased with 
the change in awareness since the ADA's passage. When Douglas 
moved to Beckley not long ago, she went to a bank to apply for a 
loan to buy a home. "I was well treated," said Douglas. "Staffers 
were accommodating and were willing to read everything aloud to 
me." 
     Strides have also been made in employment, thanks to the 
ADA. Jerry Ramsey, who is autistic, credits the ADA with making 
him aware of the availability of supported employment "and how 
people with disabilities can get jobs with the help of job 
coaches."
     Amber Glass, an interpreter in southern West Virginia, 
related that in her area "20-30 people are working who may not 
have been without the ADA." These people have found meaningful 
work in supported employment. Glass commended the federal 
government for passing the ADA, adding that she has seen positive 
changes in West Virginia as a result. "The ADA is enabling people 
to speak out for compliance, and it's working," she said.
     Tony Miralles has faced extensive discrimination in his 
search for employment, despite his Masters Degree in Social Work. 
He has cerebral palsy, and it took more than 50 interviews to 
finally land a job. But Miralles is not discouraged. "With the 
passage of the ADA, Title I presents a glimpse of hope for a 
person with a disability of being assessed for a job on an equal 
basis. Someday I might have a chance to work in a non-disabled 
agency," he said.
     The ADA has also offered hope of employment to David 
Stewart. His chronic illness and pain made it hard for him to 
hold down a job, "but then the ADA came along, and it bolstered 
my efforts," he said. Stewart, who is also involved with the 
independent living movement, praised the ADA for giving him an 
opportunity to work, as well as a way to help others.
     Several speakers commented that businesses are working to 
make their facilities more accessible. "Lots of businesses in 
Huntington are remodeling in order
to comply with the ADA," stated Mike Kolasa, an independent 
living center consumer. "And new buildings are being constructed 
with accessibility in mind," he said. Kolasa notices that 
salespeople are becoming much more aware of and willing to help 
people with disabilities. 
     Kevin Smith agrees that more public accommodations are being 
made accessible. "Since the ADA became law," he said, "my doctor 
has had a ramp built to her office."
     The City of Morgantown has set up a schedule for the 
implementation of its ADA transition plan, explained Ken Ervin, 
who works with the West Virginia University-affiliated Center for 
Developmental Disabilities. "As a result of the ADA," he said, 
"we've had the opportunity to educate many people and to work 
with many people." 
     Other West Virginia town governments have put in curb cuts, 
remodeled municipal buildings, moved government offices to 
accessible buildings, and consulted with people who have 
disabilities about how best to increase access.
     While much remains to be done throughout the state to expand 
access, the speakers were hopeful. They believe the ADA is the 
tool they need to advocate effectively for greater accessibility. 
"The ADA is the best thing that ever happened to people with 
disabilities," exclaimed Jim Farrar.
     Rachel Stewart maintains that the ADA is for everyone, that 
no one knows when he or she may become disabled. "I went from 
being able-bodied in one month to having a significant disability 
that took two years of medication and surgery until I could 
become employed," she commented.

Common Threads

The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers:
        More and more businesses have been making their 
        facilities accessible.
        
        Local governments have been working to make their 
        buildings and services accessible to all.
        
        The potential of the ADA for positive change is very 
        great.
     
        The ADA offers hope to many with disabilities that they 
        can become employed.
        
        The attitudes of non-disabled people have become more 
        helpful and understanding.
        
        Many people, with and without disabilities, have been 
        educated about the need to remove barriers to the full 
        participation in society of people with disabilities.

               NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
               50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                  WISCONSIN SUMMARY REPORT
        APRIL 13, 1995


Host organizations: Governor's Committee for People with 
Disabilities
NCD Member: Bonnie O'Day

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in Wisconsin?

     The enthusiasm of those who testified at Wisconsin's ADA 
Town Meeting may be summed up in the remark of one college 
student, "Go ADA!" People especially praised the improvements 
they have seen in public accommodations, and many spoke about the 
increased awareness of disabilities on the part of state and 
local officials and the growth in self-confidence among people 
with disabilities themselves. And some spoke about employers who 
are willingly complying with the ADA.  
     Overall, "the attitude of retail and commercial managers has 
been good," stated Chuck Schmidt in written testimony. He 
believes that after learning about ADA's purpose and how 
compliance can usually be achieved with minimal cost, businesses 
usually comply.
     Before the ADA, Shelley Peterman Schwarz related, she could 
never go shopping. Heavy doors, steps, and a lack of designated 
parking kept her out of most stores. "I couldn't even shop with 
my daughter for her first prom dress," related Schwarz. "But 
things have changed, and I recently did shop with my daughter to 
buy clothes for her job interview!" she said. 
     A Milwaukee ice skating rink was recently made accessible, 
and it was easy to do, reports Monica Murphy, an attorney with 
the Wisconsin Coalition for Advocacy.
Murphy described a large skating facility, with a rink surrounded 
by a track used by speed skaters. Getting to the rink, she 
explained, required going downstairs to get under the track and 
then climbing more steps up to the rink. "There were kids who 
wanted to use the rink," said Murphy, "who couldn't navigate the 
stairs. We arranged with the manager to allow them simply to 
cross the speed skating track, eliminating the barrier of stairs 
at no cost," she said. "Now kids and others who use wheelchairs 
can also use the rink, along with everyone else," Murphy said.
     A major Madison hotel is doing everything it can to make its 
services accessible to guests with disabilities, according to 
Gary Tidmore, Guest Services Manager at the Inn on the Park in 
Madison, also the site of the Wisconsin ADA Town Meeting. The 
first time a group came to the hotel and needed equipment for the 
hearing-impaired, the Inn rented the equipment from another 
hotel. "Then we purchased our own equipment, with the input of 
some consumers with hearing impairments," Tidmore said. Today the 
Inn on the Park is equipped with TTYs, bed shakers, close 
captioned TV, Brailled menus, emergency evacuation procedures, 
and a range of wheelchair accessible rooms. "Whenever we book a 
meeting for an organization, we acquire whatever adaptive 
equipment is needed if we don't already have it," he said. At the 
Inn, explained Tidmore, front desk staff are trained in the use 
of adaptive equipment. "And our business has even increased a 
little as a result of working with disabilities groups," he said.
     Clearly, the ADA has been good for some businesses. And the 
growing awareness about disabilities in recent years has 
stimulated entrepreneurs to create new niches. One is custom-made 
clothing for people with disabilities. In written testimony, 
Donna Ojeda, owner of Done By Design, described her program that 
offers onsite tailoring and alterations as well as training to 
teach tailoring techniques that accommodate a variety of adaptive 
equipment used by people with disabilities.
     A different kind of entity, a monument, was built to be 
accessible. The Veterans Memorial in Pritchard Park in Racine, 
dedicated last year, "is completely
accessible by design to meet ADA requirements," stated Gus 
Sorenson, in a letter. Sorenson is Chapter President of the 
Wisconsin Paralyzed Veterans of America.  "I spoke with several 
people involved in this project," Sorenson continued, "and they 
said it was by unanimous consent to create it this way."
     State and local government officials and their staff are 
joining businesses in their awareness of the ADA and their 
efforts to comply with it, several said. Even though prior 
federal law called for many of the accommodations required by 
ADA, the ADA has gotten state and local governments' attention in 
a way Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act never did, explained 
Dick Pomo of Madison. "Officials know the ADA is not a choice; 
they must comply," he said.
     Paul Yochum, a parent of a child with disabilities and 
Executive Director of the Governor's Committee, said that he has 
seen school boards pay much more attention to the ADA than they 
did to 504. "One reason schools and others are paying more 
attention to the ADA is that it applies to everyone, not just to 
recipients of federal funds, as 504 does," said Yochum, who is 
also a member of his local school board. Yochum further pointed 
out that several recent referenda on schools have called for 
reasonable accommodations. "That language wouldn't be there if it 
weren't for the ADA," he said. Yochum believes the ADA has given 
school systems a better understanding of their obligations under 
504.
     Several speakers expressed gratitude to the ADA for their 
increased self-confidence. "A weight was lifted from my shoulders 
when the ADA passed," commented Ken Adell, a student at the 
University of Wisconsin. "The ADA has given me the confidence," 
he said, "that if I work hard and succeed in school, I can expect 
to find a good job." Even though Adell had rehabilitation 
legislation backing him when he entered college in 1987, until 
the ADA passed he worried that no one would hire him after 
graduation. "Now I know they will," he said.
     "The ADA's done a lot for my mental attitude about 
approaching employers," stated Jerry Vogt of Madison. "I know you 
can't legislate confidence, but in a way ADA's done that for me," 
he said. 
     Employment, of course, is a major concern to people with 
disabilities, as it is to most people. And many employers are 
helping people with disabilities to enable them to use their 
skills on the job. Wendy McLaughlin related in a letter that as a 
deaf employee at McDonald's from 1993-1995, her request for an 
interpreter at crew meetings was willingly granted. McLaughlin 
reports that the interpreter was indispensable in enabling her to 
understand what was going on and also helped her and her 
coworkers get to know each other better. "My managers used our 
state telephone relay services to contact me if they needed my 
help so they wouldn't have to struggle to contact me without the 
benefit of a relay," McLaughlin wrote. 
     The Inn on the Park changed its job description for every 
position in the hotel after meeting with disability advocates to 
learn what the hotel needed to do to comply with the ADA in its 
hiring practices, Gary Tidmore explained.
     When it comes to hiring practices, people with psychiatric 
disabilities are finding that employers are willing to work with 
them to accommodate their needs, stated Tracy Boldt of the 
Wisconsin Council on Mental Health. "Some people with psychiatric 
disabilities need to rearrange work hours, and many employers are 
working with us on it," Boldt stated. 

Common Threads

The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers:
        Attitudes toward people with disabilities are improving.
        People with disabilities are becoming more 
        self-confident.
        Compliance with earlier civil rights legislation for 
        people with disabilities is increasing because of the 
        ADA.
        



        Many businesses are willingly making accommodations to 
        people with disabilities.
     
        Local and long distance transportation available to 
        people with disabilities has improved. 
        
        The relay service has greatly expanded communications 
        opportunities for people with hearing impairments.

               NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DISABILITY
               50 STATE ADA TOWN MEETING TOUR

                   WYOMING SUMMARY REPORT
         JUNE 2, 1995

Host organization: Governor's Committee for the Employment of 
People with Disabilities
NCD Member: Rae Unziker

What Has the ADA Meant to Citizens in Wyoming?

     Wyoming residents are enthusiastic about the ADA. In many 
areas the Act has affected their lives positively, people told 
NCD. Access to the relay service, to employment, to public 
accommodations, and to transportation have changed people's lives 
for the better. 
     "To me, the ADA means survival," exclaimed Larry Cross, who 
depends on the relay service for his livelihood. Cross, who lost 
his hearing in 1981, recounted that the discrimination he faced 
was so great that he could not find employment. So since no one 
would hire him, he bought a business, Wyoming Stone Ground Flour. 
"The relay is what allows me to stay in business," he said. "How 
far could anyone get in business if they couldn't use the phone?" 
he asked. "Communication is the name of the game," said Cross, 
"regardless of the business you're in, and the relay allows me to 
have that communication."
     Dean Kozner agrees about the importance of the relay. "The 
relay is the number one benefit to deaf people from the ADA," 
stated Kozner, who has been deaf for most of his life and has 
felt socially isolated as a result. 
     While the ADA-mandated relay service has made a big 
difference to many people, the employment provisions of the ADA 
have helped level the playing field, so
that people with disabilities can become gainfully employed 
taxpayers. In the mid-1970s Jim Veatch was told that he should 
become a bookkeeper because he was in a wheelchair. "But I didn't 
want to be a bookkeeper; I wanted to be an engineer," he said. 
Much later he did get the engineering training he wanted, and now 
he works for the Wyoming Department of Transportation. "I have 
some adaptive equipment," said Veatch, "and I have no difficulty 
doing my job."
     Indeed, most accommodations in the workplace are simple and 
inexpensive. Betty Rasmussen, who has multiple chemical 
sensitivities, pointed out that most workplace accommodations 
cost less than $100.
     Some employers have discovered that hiring people with 
disabilities is good business. Steve Harris described the efforts 
of United Parcel Service (UPS) to hire people with disabilities. 
"With a little adaptive equipment," said Harris, "UPS hired 
people with disabilities even before the ADA and found them to be 
willing and hard workers." The ADA has provided encouragement and 
help in the form of tax credits to such companies to continue 
their efforts to employ more people with disabilities.
     Public accommodations are also becoming more accessible, 
according to Harris, who is blind. "The ADA has opened so many 
doors for people with visual handicaps," he said. Harris pointed 
out that Braille signage in buildings helps him a lot. "Now it's 
much easier to find the room I'm looking for." Harris explained 
that before the ADA, when he was staying in a hotel, he had to 
leave something outside his hotel room door whenever he went out, 
in order to be able to find the right room when he returned. "And 
I had to hope nobody moved it while I was out!" he said. But with 
Braille signage, he can find the room he wants without having to 
leave himself clues.
     A simple thing like finding the men's or women's restroom in 
a building was once an ordeal for Harris, but it is much easier 
now. "Once I found the restrooms in a building," said Harris, "I 
had to hang around to try to listen to other people going in and 
out of the bathrooms, so I could tell which was the men's!" 
Harris is glad
things are changing. "With the ADA," he said, "we don't have to 
give up life. We just change our lifestyle and go on with life." 
     Hotels have also become more accessible for Larry Cross. 
"Thanks to the ADA," he said, "when I stay in a hotel I can hear 
the phone ring, hear the smoke alarm, and hear a knock at the 
door." Since many hotels and motels are not yet accessible to  
people with hearing impairments, Cross makes an effort to educate 
them. "The ADA has allowed my life to be the kind of life that 
other people take for granted," Cross said. "It makes everything 
easier."
     Hospitals have also become more accessible, according to 
Betty Rasmussen. When she needed surgery, she explained in 
advance to the hospital staff about her chemical sensitivities. 
"They said they needed a few days to get ready for me," she said. 
"And everything went fine. They were educated and knew what to do 
and what not to do." The good treatment she received would not 
have happened without the ADA, she believes.
     People with disabilities are not the only ones who benefit 
from many accessibility changes, according to Rasmussen. "The 
design features that are done to make buildings accessible to 
people with disabilities also make buildings more user-friendly 
for everyone," she pointed out. 
     In addition to greater access in public accommodations, 
transportation is also more accessible than it was before the 
ADA. Jim Veatch, who lives in Cheyenne, said that public 
transportation never used to be available, "but now I get to work 
and home on public transit," he said.  Even though Veatch owns an 
accessible van, he prefers to ride the bus. Air travel has also 
become easier, even though the ADA does not specifically address 
it. Before the ADA when Veatch attempted to use the airlines, he 
was told, "We don't allow your kind on the plane." But today it 
is different. "When I called the airlines to book a flight to 
Maryland and I told the agent I use a wheelchair, the reaction 
was, 'Sure, no problem.'"
     Clearly, the ADA is bringing about access of all sorts. "And 
access must be useful to make a difference," remarked Michael 
Funkhouser. "The ADA offers access that is truly useful."

Common Threads

The following impacts of ADA's first five years were cited by 
several speakers:
        The relay service has transformed people's lives, 
        especially in the areas of employment and social contact.
        
        Employment is becoming more available to people with 
        disabilities.
        
        Attitudes of non-disabled people have improved a great 
        deal. People are more open to dealing with others who 
        have disabilities.
        
        Now that people with disabilities are better able to get 
        out into the community, they are successfully advocating 
        for themselves.                            APPENDIX A
    A Brief Description of the Americans with Disabilities Act


ADA Requirements

An estimated 49 million Americans with physical or mental 
impairments that substantially limit daily activities are 
protected under the ADA.  These activities include working, 
walking, talking, seeing, hearing, or caring for oneself.  People 
who have a record of such an impairment and those regarded as 
having an impairment are also protected.  The ADA has the 
following five titles:

         Title I -- Employment

         Title II-- Public Services (including Public 
                     Transportation)

         Title III--Public Accommodations and Services Operated 
                     by Private Entities

         Title IV-- Telecommunications

         Title V -- Miscellaneous Provisions

The following is a brief summary of some of the major 
requirements contained in the ADA statute.  To determine all of 
the requirements that a covered entity must satisfy, it is 
necessary to refer to the regulations, guidelines, and/or 
technical assistance materials that have been developed by the 
Department of Justice (DOJ), the Equal Employment Opportunity 
Commission (EEOC), the Department of Transportation (DOT), the 
Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and the Architectural 
and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (the Access Board).  
In addition, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has developed 
regulations on the tax relief available for certain costs of 
complying with the ADA, such as small business tax credits.

     Title I--Employment

Title I of the ADA prohibits discrimination in employment against 
people with disabilities.  It requires employers to make 
reasonable accommodations to the known physical or mental 
limitations of a qualified applicant or employee, unless such 
accommodation would impose an undue hardship on the employer.  
Reasonable accommodations include such actions as making 
worksites accessible, modifying existing equipment, providing new 
devices, modifying work schedules, restructuring jobs, and 
providing readers or interpreters.

Title I also prohibits the use of employment tests and other 
selection criteria that screen out, or tend to screen out, 
individuals with disabilities, unless such tests or criteria are 
shown to be job-related and consistent with business necessity.  
It also bans the use of pre-employment medical examinations or 
inquiries to determine if an applicant has a disability.  It 
does, however, permit the use of medical examinations after a job 
offer has been made if the results are kept confidential, all 
persons offered employment in the same job category are required 
to take them, and the results are not used to discriminate.

Employers are permitted, at any time, to inquire about the 
ability of a job applicant or employee to perform job-related 
functions.  Under the ADA, the employment provisions took effect 
on July 26, 1992, for employers with 25 or more employees, and 
will take effect on July 26, 1994, for employers with 15 or more 
employees.  As required, the EEOC issued its regulations by July 
26, 1991.

     Title II--Public Services

Title II of the ADA requires that the services and programs of 
local and state governments, as well as other nonfederal 
government agencies, are accessible to people with disabilities.  
Regulations from the Attorney General's office at DOJ were issued 
on July 26, 1991, in compliance with the ADA.

In addition, Title II seeks to ensure that people with 
disabilities have access to transportation.  All new buses must 
now be accessible.  Transit authorities must provide 
supplementary paratransit services or other special 
transportation services for individuals with disabilities who 
cannot use fixed-route bus services, unless this would present an 
undue burden.

In the area of rail transportation, the ADA requires that all new 
rail vehicles and all new rail stations must be accessible.  In 
addition, existing rail systems must have one accessible car per 
train within five years of enactment.  Amtrak must make all of 
its existing stations accessible within 20 years.  Key stations 
of subway systems and other commuter rail systems must generally 
be accessible within three years.  Regulations from the Secretary 
of DOT were due on July 26, 1991, but were somewhat delayed.

     Title III--Public Accommodations

Public accommodations include the broad range of entities that 
affect commerce, including sales, rental, and service 
establishments; educational institutions; recreational 
facilities; and social service centers.  The ADA prohibits the 
use of eligibility criteria that screen out or tend to screen out 
individuals with disabilities, unless necessary for the delivery 
of goods and services.  It also requires public accommodations to 
make reasonable modifications to policies, practices, and 
procedures, unless those modifications would fundamentally alter 
the nature of the services provided by the public accommodation.

Title III also requires that public accommodations provide 
auxiliary aids necessary to enable persons who have visual, 
hearing, or sensory impairments to participate in the program, 
but only if their provision will not result in an undue burden on 
the business.  Thus, for example, a restaurant would not be 
required to provide menus in braille for blind patrons if it 
requires its waiters to read the menu.  The auxiliary aid 
requirement is flexible.  A public accommodation may choose among 
various alternatives as long as the result is effective 
communication.

With respect to existing facilities of public accommodations, 
physical barriers must be removed when it is "readily achievable" 
to do so (i.e., when it can be accomplished easily and without 
much expense).  Modifications that would be readily achievable in 
most cases include ramping of a few steps.  However, all 
construction of new facilities and alterations of existing 
facilities in public accommodations, as well as in commercial 
facilities such as office buildings, must be accessible to people 
with disabilities (except that elevators generally are not 
required for facilities that are less than three stories high or 
have less than 3,000 square feet per story).

Regulations on public accommodations and commercial facilities 
from the Attorney General's office were issued on July 26, 1991.  
Title III also addresses transportation provided by private 
entities, and regulations on this component were issued by the 
Secretary of DOT on September 6, 1991.

     Title IV--Telecommunications

Title IV of the ADA amends the Communications Act of 1934 to 
require that telephone companies provide telecommunication relay 
services.  The relay services must permit speech- or 
hearing-impaired individuals who use TTDs or other nonvoice 
terminal devices opportunities for communication that are 
equivalent to those provided to other customers.  Regulations 
were issued by the FCC on August 1, 1991.

     Title V--Miscellaneous Provisions

This title addresses such issues as the ADA's relationship to 
other laws including the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, requirements 
relating to the provision of insurance, regulations by the Access 
Board, prohibition of state immunity, inclusion of Congress as a 
covered entity, implementation of each title, promotion of 
alternative means of dispute resolution, and provision of 
technical assistance.

                            APPENDIX B
     A Brief Description of the National Council on Disability

Overview and Purpose

The National Council on Disability is an independent Federal 
agency led by 15 members appointed by the President of the United 
States and confirmed by the U.S. Senate.  The National Council 
was initially established in 1978 as an advisory board within the 
Department of Education (Public Law 95-602).  The Rehabilitation 
Act Amendments of 1984 (Public Law 98-221) transformed the 
National Council into an independent agency.
 
The overall purpose of the National Council is to promote 
policies, programs, practices, and procedures that guarantee 
equal opportunity for all individuals with disabilities, 
regardless of the nature or severity of the disability; and to 
empower individuals with disabilities to achieve economic self 
sufficiency, independent living, and inclusion and integration 
into all aspects of society.

Specific Duties

The current statutory mandate of the National Council includes 
the following:

*    Reviewing and evaluating, on a continuing basis, policies, 
     programs, practices, and procedures concerning individuals 
     with disabilities conducted or assisted by Federal 
     departments and agencies, including programs established or 
     assisted under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, 
     or under the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill 
     of Rights Act; and all statutes and regulations pertaining 
     to Federal programs which assist such individuals with 
     disabilities in order to assess the effectiveness of such 
     policies, programs, practices, procedures, statutes, and 
     regulations in meeting the needs of individuals with 
     disabilities; 

*    Reviewing and evaluating, on a continuing basis, new and 
     emerging disability policy issues affecting individuals with 
     disabilities at the Federal, State, and local levels, and in 
     the private sector, including the need for and coordination 
     of adult services, access to personal assistance services, 
     school reform efforts and the impact of such efforts on 
     individuals with disabilities, access for health care, and 
     policies that operate as disincentives for the individuals 
     to seek and retain employment.

*    Making recommendations to the President, the Congress, the 
     Secretary of Education, the Director of the National 
     Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, and 
     other officials of Federal agencies, respecting ways to 
     better promote equal opportunity, economic self-sufficiency, 
     independent living, and inclusion and integration into all 
     aspects of society for Americans with disabilities.



*    Providing the Congress, on a continuing basis, advice, 
     recommendations, legislative proposals, and any additional 
     information which the Council or the Congress deems 
     appropriate;  

*    Gathering information about the implementation, 
     effectiveness, and impact of the  Americans with 
     Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.);

*    Advising the President, the Congress, the Commissioner of 
     the Rehabilitation Services Administration, the Assistant 
     Secretary for Special Education and Rehabilitative Services 
     within the Department of Education, and the Director of the 
     National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research 
     on the development of the programs to be carried out under 
     the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended;

*    Providing advice to the Commissioner with respect to the 
     policies of and conduct of the Rehabilitation Services 
     Administration;

*    Making recommendations to the Director of the National 
     Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research on ways 
     to improve research, service, administration, and the 
     collection, dissemination, and implementation of research 
     findings affecting persons with disabilities;

*    Providing advice regarding priorities for the activities of 
     the Interagency Disability Coordinating Council and 
     reviewing the recommendations of such Council for 
     legislative and administrative changes to ensure that such 
     recommendations are consistent with the purposes of the 
     Council to promote the full integration, independence, and 
     productivity of individuals with disabilities;

*    Preparing and submitting to the President and the Congress a 
     report entitled National Disability Policy: A Progress 
     Report on an annual basis; and 

*    Preparing and submitting to the Congress and the President a 
     report containing a  summary of the activities and 
     accomplishments of the Council on an annual basis.

Population Served and Current Activities

While many government agencies deal with issues and programs 
affecting people with disabilities, the National Council is the 
only Federal agency charged with addressing, analyzing, and 
making recommendations on issues of public policy which affect 
people with disabilities regardless of age, disability type, 
perceived employment potential, economic need, specific 
functional ability, status as a veteran, or other individual 
circumstance.  The National Council recognizes its unique 
opportunity to facilitate independent living, community 
integration, and employment opportunities for people with 
disabilities by assuring an informed and coordinated approach to 
addressing the concerns of persons with disabilities and 
eliminating barriers to their active participation in community 
and family life.


The National Council plays a major role in developing disability 
policy in America.  In fact, it was the Council that originally 
proposed what eventually became the Americans with Disabilities 
Act of 1990.  Our present list of key issues includes monitoring 
progress toward the implementation of the Americans with 
Disabilities Act, and the development of a comprehensive national 
disability policy.


APPENDIX C
Locations and Dates of the Town Meetings


STATE          LOCATION       DATE           HOST ORGANIZATION

Alabama        Birmingham     02/14/95       Birmingham 
                                             Independent Living 
                                             Center

Alaska         Anchorage      04/25/95       Access Alaska/ADA 
                                             Partners Project


Arizona        Phoenix        05/06/95       Arizona Office for 
                                             Americans with 
                                             Disabilities

Arkansas       Little Rock    02/21/95       Office of 
                                             Disability, Arkansas 
                                             Department of 
                                             Health, Prevention 
                                             and Arkansas ADA 
                                             Roundtable

California     Los Angeles    03/01/95       Westside Center for 
                                             Independent Living 
                                             and California 
                                             Governor's Committee 
                                             for Employment of 
                                             Disabled Persons

Colorado       Denver         05/26/95       ADAPT

Connecticut    Hartford       03/29/95       Independence 
                                             Unlimited

Delaware       Dover          03/02/95       Delaware Governor's 
                                             Committee on 
                                             Employment of People 
                                             with Disabilities

District of    Washington     06/05/95       DC Center for 
                                             Independent Living
   Columbia

Florida        Miami          02/01/95       Abilities of Florida

Georgia        Atlanta        02/04/95       Georgia ADA Exchange

Hawaii         Honolulu       02/28/95       Hawaii Center for 
                                             Independent Living

Idaho          Boise          04/27/95       The Idaho Task Force 
                                             on the Americans 
                                             with Disabilities 
                                             Act

Locations and Dates of the Town Meetings (cont'd)

STATE          LOCATION       DATE           HOST ORGANIZATION

Illinois       Chicago        06/01/95       Chicago Mayor's 
                                             Office for People 
                                             with Disabilities

Indiana        Indianapolis   04/25/95       Indiana State 
                                             Steering Committee, 
                                             and the Institute 
                                             for the Study of 
                                             Developmental 
                                             Disabilities

Iowa           Des Moines     04/11/95       Iowa Commission of 
                                             Persons with 
                                             Disabilities

Kansas         Topeka         02/15/95       Kansas Commission on 
                                             Disability Concerns

Kentucky       Frankfort      02/07/95       Kentucky Department 
                                             of Employment 
                                             Services

Louisiana      New Orleans    02/16/95       University of New 
                                             Orleans, Division of 
                                             Public Service 
                                             Training

Maine          Portland       03/16/95       Alpha One Center for 
                                             Independent Living

Maryland       Baltimore      05/09/95       Maryland State 
                                             Department of 
                                             Education/Maryland 
                                             Rehabilitation 
                                             Center

Massachusetts  Boston         03/22/95       Boston Center for 
                                             Independent Living

Michigan       Detroit        03/30/95       Great Lakes Center 
                                             for Independent 
                                             Living, and Oakland 
                                             Macomb Center for 
                                             Independent Living

Minnesota      St. Paul       05/10/95       Minnesota State 
                                             Council on 
                                             Disability

Mississippi    Jackson        02/02/95       Coalition for 
                                             Citizens with 
                                             Disabilities

Missouri       Jefferson City 04/12/95       Governor's Council 
                                             on Disability

Locations and Dates of the Town Meetings (cont'd)

STATE          LOCATION       DATE           HOST ORGANIZATION

Montana        Missoula       04/13/95       Alliance for 
                                             Disability and 
                                             Students of the 
                                             University of 
                                             Montana

Nebraska       Lincoln        05/09/95       League of Human 
                                             Dignity

Nevada         Las Vegas      05/03/95       Nevada 
                                             Rehabilitation 
                                             Division/Community-B
                                             ased Service

New Hampshire  Concord        03/17/95       Granite State 
                                             Independent Living 
                                             Center

New Jersey     Wanamassa      03/15/95       New Jersey DD 
                                             Council; Association 
                                             for County Offices 
                                             on the Disabled; 
                                             DIAL Independent 
                                             Living Centers; 
                                             Statewide Parent 
                                             Advocacy Network

New Mexico     Albuquerque    02/17/95       New Mexico 
                                             Governor's Committee 
                                             on Concerns of the 
                                             Handicapped

New York       Albany         03/24/95       New York Office of 
                                             Advocate for Persons 
                                             with Disabilities

North Carolina Winston-Salem  04/28/95       Programs for 
                                             Accessible Living

North Dakota   Bismarck       06/14/95       Governor's Committee 
                                             on Employment of 
                                             People with 
                                             Disabilities

Ohio           Columbus       04/04/95       Ohio Developmental 
                                             Disabilities 
                                             Planning Council

Oklahoma       Oklahoma City  02/21/95       Oklahoma City 
                                             Mayor's Committee on 
                                             Disability Concerns

Oregon         Portland       04/21/95       Oregon Disabilities 
                                             Commission

Pennsylvania   Harrisburg     03/10/95       Pennsylvania Office 
                                             of Vocational 
                                             Rehabilitation; PA 
                                             Coalition of 
                                             Citizens with 
                                             Disabilities; PA 
                                             State Independence 
                                             Living Council

Locations and Dates of the Town Meetings (cont'd)

STATE          LOCATION       DATE           HOST ORGANIZATION

Rhode Island   Cranston       03/21/95       Rhode Island 
                                             Governor's 
                                             Commission on the 
                                             Handicapped

South Carolina Columbia       02/09/95       South Carolina 
                                             Protection & 
                                             Advocacy for the 
                                             Handicapped


South Dakota   Rapid City     06/08/95       Western Resources 
                                             for dis-Abled 
                                             Independence; South 
                                             Dakota Coalition of 
                                             Citizens with 
                                             Disabilities

Tennessee      Nashville      04/06/95       Coalition for 
                                             Tennesseans with 
                                             Disabilities

Texas          Arlington      02/22/95       Governor's Committee 
                                             on People with 
                                             Disabilities; 
                                             Arlington and Irving 
                                             Mayor's Committee's 
                                             on People with 
                                             Disabilities

Utah           Salt Lake City 05/03/95       Utah ADA Consortium

Vermont        Montpelier     04/14/95       Vermont Center for 
                                             Independent Living

Virgin Islands St. Croix      06/19/94       Virgin Islands 
                                             Advocacy Agency; 
                                             Virgin Islands 
                                             Disabilities & 
                                             Rehabilitation 
                                             Council; University 
                                             of the Virgin 
                                             Islands Cooperative 
                                             and Extension 
                                             Service

Virginia       Norfolk        03/07/95       Endependence Center


Washington     Seattle        04/26/95       Governor's Committee 
                                             on Disability Issues 
                                             and Employment

West Virginia  Sutton         03/09/95       Mountain State 
                                             Centers for 
                                             Independent Living


Locations and Dates of the Town Meetings (cont'd)

STATE          LOCATION       DATE           HOST ORGANIZATION


Wisconsin      Madison        04/13/95       Governor's Committee 
                                             for People with 
                                             Disabilities

Wyoming        Cheyenne       06/02/95       Wyoming 
                                             Cross-Disability 
                                             Coalition





                            APPENDIX D
         Speakers at the 52 State ADA Town Meeting Tour[1]



 ALABAMA

Peggy Anderson
Beulah Brown
Cheryl Bullock
Penny Burt
Beth Butler
Michael Davis
Bill Freeman
Jurvis Grenscher
Bill Hecker
Dana Isbell
Hope Kelley
Stella Kellum
Ann Marshall
Mark Mitchell
Kevin Orr
Chris Paine
Ann Pal
Don Patrick
Michelle Pelham
Kay Phillips
Elizabeth Ray
Sam Redburn
Evie Sheetz
Don Sims
Graham Sisson
Chantelle Sonnier
Kirk Tcherneshoff
Drew Weldon





 ALASKA

Jim Beck
Rebecca Campbell
Gretchen Collier
Virginia Cumming
Chris Daughhetee
Duane French
Earl Fullingim
Janet Helen Gamble
Nugget Hiatt
Steven Johnson
Lynne Koral
Gene Merrick
Sherri Morton
Art Palileo
Tony Rauh
Patrick Reinhart
Mary Elizabeth Rider
Natasha Smith
Rick Tessandore
Karen Wood
John Woodward
Janel Wright


 ARIZONA

Brent Beals
Mary Busfield
Guerry Dalrymple
Rich Halverson
Rex Kent
Todd Kimball
Robert Lynch
Michele Martinez
Donna Redford
Denise Thompson
Michael Ubowski
Susan Castle Webb
Jeff Werner


 ARKANSAS

Sandra Brent
Ann Garner
John Gould
Bonnie Johnson
Dale Kennedy
Anthony Minyard
Mike Morrissey
Gwen Winston



 CALIFORNIA

Seymour Bernstein
Guillermo Perdoma Camo
John Carpenter
Irene Charlton
Karen Duncanwood
Brian Hearn
Christina Keefer
Claudia Lenoir--for
Frances Means, Michael Williams
Martha Long
Ben Mattlin
Ray Louis McKeever
Ray Morales
Lillibeth Navarro
Shawn Cassey O'Brien
Audrey Parker
Elizabeth Pazdral
Sylvia Pryzwiecki
Armentres Ramsay
Mary Ann Rays reading letter from
Senator Diane Feinstein
Laura Schultz-Childs
Marc Stern
Grace Tiessen
Alan Toy


 COLORADO

Sophia Abeyta
Anita Cameron
Rhonda Delbacchio
Sue Elsgood
Julie Farrar
Penny Ford
Bruce Gougen
Faith Gross
Diana Kovac
Clarence Miller
Les Reed
Latanya Reeves
George Roberts
John Roberts
Bob Samores
Russell Sarazen
Mark Simon
Peter Splaine
Robin Stephens


 CONNECTICUT

Mel Alberts
Ruth Cion
Lauren Esposito
Mark Gallucci
Nan Geissler
James Kay
Barbara Kohl
Stan Kosloski
Shirley Krassner
Sue LaChance
Julie Meyer
Barbara Monty
Carolyn Newcombe
Debbie Sampson
Marcia Smith-Glasper
Steve Spillane
Ann Walton


 DELAWARE

Bob diCarlo
Peggy Eddens
Larry Field
Missy Grimaldi
Linda Heller
Larry Henderson
Gerard Landreth
Donna Miller
Bob Osgood
Loretta Sarro
Diane Treacy


 DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

George Aguehounde
Sheila Armstrong
Brunilda Batista
Bonita Curtis
Jennifer Dodd
Gregory Dougan
Luethel Gavin
Dora Giraldo
Andy Imparato
Evelyn Jackson
Ann Johnson
Tom Kober
Cornell Mersies
David Nelson
John O'Rourke
Pedro Perez
Tony Rhodes
Karen Salva
Katie Savage
Linda Strating
Angela Vaughn
Zuzu Vivera
Katherine Williams
Alfredia Young



 FLORIDA

Linda Allison
Barbara Bernhardt
Eduardo Bernones
Michael Brennan
Danny Carbohol
Eric Delisle
Maggie Fermin
Maria Fernandez
Gale Fox
Jeffrey Harris
Don Holder
Jack Humburg
Janet Jackson
Edward Kilty
Robert Lessnee
Mildred Levinson
Michael Messer
Bill Norcunez
Sergio Renden
Diana Richardson
Angelina Rodriguez
Cecilia Segundo
Mark Seldon
Julie Shaw
Scott Vistel
Norman Wiggon


 GEORGIA

Carol Ashe
Anthony Barriga
Bonnie Bonham
Adrena Clegg
Tony Cordova
Jill Crowe
Linda Davis
Nancy Desmond
Nancy Duncan
Marcia Gitter
Linda Hawkins
Don Hill
Carol Hughes
Marcell Johnson
Marie Latta
Debbie Livingston
Pamela Lloyd
Sandy Marchman
Fred Moss
Elizabeth Patrick
Justin Pressley
Dennis Price
Linda Priest
Susan Sherman
Adam Shapiro
Margie Staton
Jesse Tyler
Stephanie Wells


 HAWAII

Philip Ana
JoAnne Bosserdet
Kristie Hall
Cindy McCoy
John McKenzie (written)
Darin Mishima
Lourdes Mugas
Mark Obatake
Michael Tada
Michelle Williamson
Scott Youngblood
Chrissy Zukerkorn


 IDAHO

Bobby Ball
Don Collins
Marcie Dale
Richard Gallaghen
Sue Harms
Henry Henscherd
Roger Howard
Walter Jastremsky
Dorothy Shipman



 ILLINOIS

Barbara Anderson
Ken Anderson
Ron Arneson
Edward Bannister
Heidi Barker
Karen Bartler
Thomas Benziger
Bill Bisaillon
Ray Campbell
Christine Carter
Jim Charlton
Michael Conroy
Cindy Cramer
Jim Davies
Connie Duffin
Susan Firnhaber
Patricia Flannery
Ann Ford
Larry Gorski
Linda Hernandez
Eleanor Hjort
Herbert Hoffman
Jo Holzer
Linda Hunt
Joyce Klein
Steve Klokkenga
Pat Lee
Cathy Lutkin-Muehl (written)
Jim McGovern
Kerry Moore
Father Joseph Mulcrone
Carlos Paraskeras
Stan Rich
Judy Savage
Beverly Stange-Elliott
Fred Stark
Julie Thurber
Theresa Woznicki






 INDIANA

Richard Armstrong
David Arvey
David Bice
Sharon Byrkett (read by another)
Joe DuPree
Ric Edwards
Frank Epperson
Roy Garcia
Russell Goode
Rita Renae Gould
George Kirles (read by another)
Johnny Mazurkewicz
Tony Myers
Eve Minton
Mark Minzes
Carolyn Niehaus
Judith Rasmuson
Ben Ratell
David Reynolds
Suzie Rimstidt (read by another)
Yo Sampson
Jodie San Pietro
Janna Shisler
Larry Snyder
Alan Spaulding
John Jay Steinhardt
Cara Beth Thomas (read by another)
Karin Vaughn
Wyan Watkins
Kristin Willison
Karen Willison
Nancy Winters


 IOWA

Mr. Bell
Kevin Burt
Mike Hanick
Janice Hawkins
Terry Holberg
William Kautzky
Jill Krauss
Jim Larson
Laura Nurs
Dave O'Brien
Jill Robinson
John Snyder
Lois Mary Sprague
John TenPas
Fred Wagner


 KANSAS

Ed Brungardt
Jo Ann Buche
Carolyn Burke
Michelle Campbell
Avia Cole
Susan Cook
Kenneth Golden
Margaret Hahn
Brenda Henry
Ed Herrick
Jeri Johnson
Sharon Joseph
Jim Kleinsorge
Lou Ann Kohl
Bob Milkesik
Alan Post
Amy Ritter
Tom Robinson
Teresa Rundell
Jeff Simon
Jeri Strange
Ron Thomas
Michael Todd
Art Turner
Vicki Tyler
Tom Whalen
Glen White
Allison Wolters


 KENTUCKY

Diane Brewer
Wayne Brock
Danny Carroll
Sharon Fields
Howard Fuetterer
Susanne Hoffman
Roy Sidon
Charlie Sims
Sheila Tipton
Bill Wells
MaryAnne Westerdale
Jerry Wheatley


 LOUISIANA

Aileen Adams
CaraLee Adams
Mark Bahan
Loretta Brown
Della Mae Childress
Donna Clark
James Forrestal
Kathryn Hoover
Mrs. W. B. Hurst
Jane Jackson
Pat Johnson
Ellen Jones
Mary LeBlanc
Brian Lee
Lynette Linker
Esther McAllister
Anne McLaine
Yadi Mark
Leslie Palmer
Carine Thomas
Tobin Trahan
Fleming Trosclair
Charles Tubre
Steven Watkins


 MAINE

Laurie Brink
Carl Burnett
Julie Cadner
Jeanie Caltart
Jan deVinney
Jim Donald
Jennifer Eckle
Kathleen Egan
Deborah Gardner
Ron Hanson
Susan Harkins
Mike Harmon
Nancy Hilsman
Beth Leach
Cindy Leach
Kim Livingstone
Barbara Macomber
Kathy McGuinness
Grace McKenna
Bob McPhee
Sharon Miller
Cliff Rowe
James Seavey (written)
Robert Sudheimer
Patricia Wescott
Deborah Williams
Ralph Williams


 MARYLAND

Ronald Baxter
Karen Beever
Marsha Dryden
Rhonda Elsey-Jones
Roger Harrison
Kerby Hill
Michael Holt
Alfred Jackson
Leopold Linton
Robert Moors
Bonnie Noel
Joan Ross
David Scott
Jessica Skintges
Martha Smith
Walter Truelove
Mary Young




 MASSACHUSETTS

Lisa J. Berke
Judi Chamberlin
Pat Dolan
Phil Dow
Stanley Eichner
Fred Fay
Musheer Hasan
Denise Karuth
Jean Lemieux
Michael Muehe
Peter Myette
Pat Ryan
Butch Towne
Mary Wambach
Charlie Washburn
John Winske


 MICHIGAN

Donald Anderson
Agnes Bellel
Willy Brown
John Roy Castillo
Maria Cebreco
Larry Dilworth
Mario Elliott
George Entry
Sherry Fernandez
Marsha Florence
Barbara Ford
Nancy Fountain
Ann Greco
Mohammed Hanif
Jeff Herrin
Kathy Herron
Angela Hoff
Art Humphrey
Claudie Jones
Hattie Kirk
Larry Patton
Janice Pegg
Chuck Roberts
Michelle Rose
Walt Runchey
Nelis James Saunders
Paul Ulrich
Richard Whitelaw
Quinton Williams


 MINNESOTA

Scott Anderson
Mike Arieta
Dorothy Balen
Jim Baxter
Melissa Beilke
Gene Chelberg
Bobbi Cordano
Randall Doane
Martha Godby
Kathy Hagen
Marjorie Hammargren
Harold Kievel
Kay Kramer
Deborah Leuchovious
Lolly Lijewski
Kathy Mullarky
Dale Palton
Mike Parish
Michael Patrick
Eric Peterson
Cliff Poetz
Jim Ramnaraine
Marj Schneider
Gary Smolik
Danny Spalla
Gloria Steinberg
Sharon Van Winkle
Marlene Voita
Joan Walsh
John Walsh
Linda Wofford
Michael Zeledon





 MISSISSIPPI

Kay Alexander
Linda Atwood
Charles Auden
Randy Blackburn
John Brown
Jan Cloud
David Courtney
Kimball Gray
Kathy Harper
David James
Nancy Mears for Charlie Carver
Mark Palmer
Barry Phillips
Nellie Ray
Donna Smith
Albert S. Tusing
Evelyn Williams


 MISSOURI

Don Arnold
Mary Branham
Jim Crabtree
Lucille Fierce
Leslie Hall
Lee Henson
Gay Jones
Jim Jordan
Janice Kelly
Darrell Lauer
Veronica Lieb
Jeff McGarry
Denise Morrow
David Newburger
Nellie Owen
Judith Parker
Randolph Scott
William Sheldon
John Simmons
Steve Skolnick
Terry Starkey
Teresa Stutes-O'Neal
Jim Tuscher
Annelle Weymuth
Marjorie Yates


 MONTANA

Nancy Borgmann
Dan Burke
John Collins
Dixie Dischonn
David Donaldson
Brian Faulkner
Robert Gregory
Joe Harrington
Curtis Hayes
Joe Kadisco
Flo Keewell
Peter Leech
Rick Love
Christi Madsen
Jim Marks
Randy Modrell
Mary Morrison
Fred Reed
Michael Regnier
Merle Swanson


 NEBRASKA

Charles Beardslee
Mark Booth
Christi Coleman
Jack Conrad
Sid Cook
Stan Dinkelman
Robert Doulas
Sarah Fleck
Arlene Fox
Mary Gordon
Kathy Hall
Paul Heers
Tim Kolb
Norman Laverka
Sherry Manthe
Ken Mayberry
Dwain McLaughlin
John Moss
Rebecca Peterson
Mark Quinn
Jocelyn Ritchie
Ivan Ruchivesky
William Rush
Kathy Soflin
Merwyn Vavrina
Norman Weverka


 NEVADA

Jason Arceneaux
Reggie Bennett
Kathryn Black
Joe Bole
George Brown
Eleanor Crawford
Bill Eddens
Ron Erickson
Teresa Fuller
Paul Gowens
Bill Hamilton
Bob Hogan
Fred Inman
Mac Johnson
Rosetta Johnson
Jesse Kent
Danny Kern
Dana Lescher
Jim Maddox
Rod Malcolm
Beverly Perry
Diane Randall
Michelle Rico
Jackie Ridley
Andrew Smith
Peggy Smith
Sam Swanson
Randy Tower
June Tweedle
Scott Young


 NEW HAMPSHIRE

Dee Clanton
Richard Daigle
Dean Davis
Laurie de Mayo
Roberta Gallant
Ronald Giovagnoli
Tom Hanson
Joe Hardz
Robin Harrell
Jeanie Kincaid
John Kotios
Pam Locke
Lisa Lyens
Mary McGuire
Angela Officer
Barbara Parnell
Lee Perseley
Walter Plummer
Mark Race
Penny Ranger
Willemainscha Ranger
Judith Raskin
Donna Renard
Linda Riley
David Robas
Donna Marie Sorrentino
Nancy Martell-Stevenson
Jim Sullivan
Kelly Tracy
Laura Tucker
Frank Vincinguerra
Carol Williams


 NEW JERSEY

David Alteer
William Butler
Jessy Cook
Susan Elmer
Huntley Forrester
Colleen Fraser
Shirley Frederick
Kathleen Gregg
Ann Jamison
Darlene La Rue
Stanley Soden
Jackie Stearns
Rick Treano
Pablo Viera
Linda Wilson

 NEW MEXICO

Robert Burns
Norman Dawson
Sandra Dement
Richard Hammond
Kevin Irvine
Cliff McKinnon
Lester Miller
Art Schreiber
Greg Trapp
Hazel Wadsworth


 NEW YORK

Susan Ahlquist
Kevin Brown
Judy Dunbar
Laura Hagen
Sally Johnston
Kristin King
Barbara Kohn
Andrew Kovalovich
Carol Kriss
Howard LePiors
Matt Marino (written)
Michelle Massiano
Mary Beth Metzger
Claudia Morgan
Kitty Occhino (written)
Pat Peebles
Clifton Perez
Mike Roselle
Ralph Shields
Karen Steitler (written)
Anne Wasserstrom


 NORTH CAROLINA

Bill Ach
Barbara Benge
Jeffrey Bittner
Peggy Brooks
Dana Daniell
Ann Davidson 
Ken Franklin
David Goines
Kay Hartgrove
Mr. Hickmon (written)
Brenda Heinz (written)
Mary Sloan Jones
Annette Lauber
Andy Leach
Nelson Malloy
Jim McCulley
Paul Miller
Chet Mottershead
Don Nichols (written)
Sandra Perry
Mike Phillips
Larry Pope
Margaret Rogers (written)
Julia Sain (written)
Doris Schultz
Terry Schupbach-Gordon
Francenia Smith
John Taylor
Sylvia Taylor
Jacob Thadathil
Paranita Towson
Jeannie Wolf


 NORTH DAKOTA

Marie Brown
Bob Cleveland
April Crane
Norma Deichler
Deb Dilger
Miles Erickson
Darrell Farland
Laurie French
Rich Grey
Wanda Guyer
Pat Knutson
Madonna Logosv
Audrey Meadow
Chuck Stebbins
Robin Werre


 OHIO

Fatica Ayers
John Benson
Mary Mooney Biel
Dawn Caldwell
Ken Campbell
Ann Christopher
Elsie Danovich
Jerry Droll
Ann Gazelle
Gale Gross
Tim Harrington
Brad Hollys
Irwin Hott
Ray Jones
Vera Jones
Pat Kelley
Kim Lavalle
Bob McCallum
Marsha Nippert
Patti Reeble
Jane Smith
Jerry Snyder
John Wall
David Wilkin
David Williams


 OKLAHOMA

Cathy Ames
Roger Barton
Jean Jones
Helen Kootz
George Lewis
Kit Phillips
Thelma Rex
Kenny Violette


 OREGON

Judy Arnsmeyer
Michael Bailey
Carol Barker
Rachel Cranson
T. J. Davis
Jeanine Delauney
Louis Hall
Cheryl Johnson Hoare
William Hoare
Dave Hulse
Steve Kreutzer
Sandra Kutz
John Liggett
Don Meyers
Kathy Monahan
Patricia Nielson
Jim Ringelberg
Linnae Rutledge
Michael van der Kamm
Susan Zarnek


 PENNSYLVANIA

Winston Alcendor
Frederick Bertz
Theo Braddy
Cheryl Brand
Rev. Walter Brandon
Ruth Brinton
Thomas Burns
Josie Byzek
Edward Chepheovich
Thomas Coulston
Jeremy Courtois
Jerome Davis
Lou Diehl
Michael Donmoyer
David Engel
Howard Ervin
Joan Fenicle
David Golin
Jo Halberstadt
Richard Harkins
Leslye Herrmann
Lisa Janoff
Leslie Kelly
Marty Kester
Phyllis Koster
Sylvia Martin
Alber Mertz
Woody Osburn
Steve Pennington
Jim Penta
Tim Price
Joanna Raver
Linda Riegel
Danielle Sheypeck
Dee Sheypeck
Ralph Trainer
Janet Wolf


 RHODE ISLAND

Bonnie Abols
Shira Bobrove
Fred Burke
Bruce Bucci
Ed Carmel
Marie Corcelli
Sue de Simone
Bill Emmett
Robert Gearing (written)
Bob Geller
Donald Jacques
Andrew Knight
John Kozakiewicz
James Litvack
Patricia Martin
Karen Nelson
Teresa Nickerson
Lorna Ricci
Edward Schroeder
Greg Solas
John Sousa
Jeremy Vandall
Beth Wilson


 SOUTH CAROLINA

Lorene Arnett
Rena Burnside
Michelle Busick
Donald Byrd
Maxie Connor
Evelyn Evans
Wes Gibbs
Chip Harraford
Eleanor Hawkins
Suzanne McDermott
Rebecca Michaelsick
Jeff Miller
M. North
Louise Plaster
David Reeves
Phyllis Ross
Lewis Stevens
Linda Van Deusen


 SOUTH DAKOTA

Scotty Backens
Brandi Brooks
Audrey Cherrette
Pat Czerny
Kathy Ertel
Venaline Gogue
Dick Hicks
Pam High
Tari Kilian
Sandy Magnavito
Don Michlitsch
Laura Moeding
Shelly Pfaff
Patti Rudge
Shelly Schock
Hyatt Simpson
Terresa Thompson
Lauren Tolberg

 TENNESSEE

Glen Barr
Larry Breneman
Wynelle Carson
Christina Champoneria
James Davis
Paul Drake
Kenton Dickerson
Bill Frisk (written)
Paul Gibson
Kristopher Hazard
Sharon Hazard
Giacomo 'Jock' Lijoi
Mike Lozynsky
Dane McCary
Michael McDonald
John Meeks
Ian Miller
Ricky Moore
Jackie Page
Nick Pride
Sherry Rademacher
Mike Seal
Susan Stacy
Floyd Stewart
Marty Walker


 TEXAS

Olivia Alexander
Betty Black
Joe Bontke
Kimberly Bunting
Adele Campbell
Renee Davis
Angela Earhart
Diane Emery
Julie Espinoza
Mike Ficke
Dan Gadbury
David Gentry
Jim Grey
Christina Hollis
Linda Johnstone
Tom Justice
Robert Langford
Ramona Long
Libby Lonzara
Emily Magnuson
Johnny Martinez
Steve Mayhew
Danny Moss
Lee Neal
Clark Porter
Joe Rivas
Juliet Rizzo
Ralph Rouse
Donna Rowland
Jonas Schwartz
Brian Smith
Larry Stiff
Frankie Swearingen
Patricia Talley
Ron Troole
Marti Van Ravensway
R. A. Wade
Rodney Williams


 UTAH

Brad Baxter
Roger Borgenicht
Lori Brock
Camille Call
Marilyn Call
Brian Dale
Holly Foster
Mary Pat Friedman
Jack Green
Pete Groesbeck
Anna Jensen
Ricki Landers
Ted Loosli
J. Stephen Mikita
Page Petrucka
Mark Renda
Bibian Rendon
Gordon Richins
Corey Rowley
Arlene Thomas
Barbara Toomer


 VERMONT

Morgan Brown
Cornelia Carey
Judy Dixon
Ron Gonya
Yolanda Henry
Tom Hombar
Chris Jones
Larry Jones
Madeline Loneghan
David Saghy
John Schulenberger
Frank Shiner
Rita Straubhaum
Rene Tellerin
David Timson
Craig Whipple


 VIRGIN ISLANDS

Camille Ayala
Lucina Bartlette
Hyacinth Bendix
Stephanie Cott-Williams
Phyllis Cornwell
Wilma Espinoza
Howard Fishbein
George Flores
Alicia Francis
Paulinus Gentius
Mary Godet
Vanessa Higginbotham
Carmen Huertas
J.A. Johnson
Astrid Jones
Sylvester Julien
Jameel Muhammad
Pat Nobbie
David Obando
Gladys Perez
Stephanie Scott-Williams
Sheila Smith
Mark Vinzant
Roy Williams


 VIRGINIA

Dorothy Akers
Juanita Blake
Marcy Boone
Carol Bowen
Denise Brown
John Cartier
Richard Dipeppe
Paul Dodge
Robert Eggers
Donald Fennell
Jim Gimball
Anne Good
Linda Harris
Ulrika Harrison
Maureen Hollowell
Patrick Horran
William Anthony Howard
Gary Lyle
Sandi Moore
Joseph Moss
Geronimo Offutt
Ken Paris
Joan Patterson
Loretta Quesinberry
Sally Scubin
Patrina Spruill
Paul Staples
Carolyn Walker
Robert Webb


 WASHINGTON

Andrew Bergman
Cindy Campbell
John Denoyer
William Elliott
John Evans
Dianne Grace
Jeff Grace
Susan Greathouse
Melissa Kurtz
Stephanie Landaas
Denise Mackenstad
Wiley Marks
Jim Morris
Marla Nonken
Stan Ordonlaf
Bernice Robinson
Lyn Sowdon
Pat Troxell
Vonne Worth
Paul Wysocki
Glenn Young


 WEST VIRGINIA

Bob Daniels
Michelle Douglas
Ken Ervin
Jim Farrar
Ninetta Garner
Amber Glass
Cindy Hipes
Mike Kolasa
John Lipscomb
Tammy Marcum
Ann Meadows
Tony Miralles
James Qualls
Jerry Ramsey
Jan Rieger
Willis Saunders
Donna Spellman
Kevin Smith
David Stewart
Rachel Stewart
Linda Veid
Ron Yost
Genny Zbach



 WISCONSIN

Brad Adams
Ken Adell
Tracy Boldt
Jack Hathaway
Travis Hildebrand
Jean Kemmerer
Virginia Korleski
Larry Lajoie
Leslie Lowther
Wendy McLaughlin
Joe Mielczarek
Monica Murphy
Donno Ojeda
Dick Pomo
Arvilla Rank
Chuck Schmidt
Shelley Peterman Schwarz
Gus Sorenson
Susan Tesker
Gary Tidmore
Jerry Vogt
Paul Yochum


 WYOMING

Barbara Baumgartner
Linda Baumgartner
Larry Cross
Michael Funkhouser
Steve Harris
Dean Kozner
Betty Rasmussen
Pat Tauber
Jim Veatch
Donna Weismiller


1.  We have endeavored to spell speakers' names correctly.  Some 
were difficult to read on sign-in sheets.  While hosts at the 
town meetings worked hard to ensure correct spelling, we 
apologize for any errors.  Some speakers' names are not listed 
due to lack of identification at the start of their story.



