Dawn from Ohio

How has the ADA impacted your life regarding travel/mobility, education, employment, or any other aspect?

It’s impacted me in a number of ways. In school, having braille plates by each room to identify what room number it was, or if it was a bathroom, and if it was a men’s or women’s bathroom. And also, having a braille menus at restaurants. or having a cashier or other employee read it to me if that was not an option.

Can you share a “before and after” experience; e.g., before the ADA I couldn’t do X or was denied access to Y, and thanks to the ADA I can do Z.

I don’t really have a before and after experience. Because I was born a few years after it was passed. But I will say this. I think my life would be much much harder if we did not have the Americans with disabilities act.

What advances in disability rights would you like to see in the next 30 years?

There’s a lot of areas I think we can improve on. For starters, making all websites and apps accessible. As well as all devices. Our lives are more and more digitized. And we spend more time using apps and websites than ever before. And I have run into countless problems with websites including government websites that are supposed to be accessible for federal law, not being accessible. I think the lawn needs to change with the technology changes. That is one really big area that I think we can improve on. Also, I would like to see some thing for students or other people with disabilities that would like to go to college, but they cannot afford equipment. I am in this situation right now. My Braille device was taken for me to weeks prior to graduation. And because of the expense, we are trying to find a way to obtain one so that I can go to college. I’d like to see government programs that help people that need to get this equipment be able to afford it. And also I would like to see those programs help for if it needs servicing. There is nothing for college students or a prospective college student. To be able to obtain equipment. Also, I think that more people with disabilities need to be advised of their rights. So that they can better advocate for themselves. I think there needs to be a copy of this law and accessible and digitized form. And as amendments are made, that copy will get updated. Maybe break it down into sections. So that way people can get what applies to their specific disability, Or, say they’re having issues with say employment. Then they can get the section of the lot that pertains to employment and download it. And read it. And they could be advised of what rights they have. And then that can help them take whatever necessary next steps need to be taken. Like I said, I think there’s a lot of things that need to be improved upon. But that’s just for starters. But I think the technology one needs to be number one priority.