Access to ASL and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

“How did the ADA or the American’s with Disabilities Act provide more access for the Deaf Community?” The ADA is national civil rights law that provides for certain access and accommodations. For example, this law provides for members of the Deaf community the ability to request for an accommodation in certain cases. They can ask for an ASL Interpreter for a doctor’s appointment, or for a legal court setting, etc. The doctors office and or the government court is responsible for providing the interpreter under the ADA. How has this helped this community?

In addition, how did this affect any family related issues relating to Deafness and access to American Sign Language and or ASL Interpreting/Interpreters Services. For example, in the past often times family members may have been asked to interpret for their parents. Under ADA the parents could now ask for an ASL interpreter. Compare how things were in the past to how things became better after the ADA.