Two changes of perspective powered the creation of a disability community: First, people with all disabilities were seen to have shared the experience of social stigma, isolation, and second-class citizenship. Second, new groups, such as the American Coalition of Citizens with Disabilities, began to demand not just extended benefits, but basic human and civil rights -- seeing architectural barriers and job discrimination as central to disablement. Section 504 of the 1973 Rehab Act mandated access to federally funded institutions. The Education For All Handicapped Children Act guaranteed public education to children with disabilities. Independent Living Centers were established and people with disabilities worked to pass the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act. Its ramifications -- changes to the environment, the work place, the possibilities and opportunities open to people with disabilities -- will influence Americans for generations to come. |
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