Friday / Weekend Open Line


On this date 23 years ago, the Americans with Disabilities Act became law. The goal was to guarantee equal opportunity for people with disabilities in public and commercial facilities, employment, transportation, and services at all levels of government. Nearly 57 million Americans have at least one disability. Some 12 million over the age of 15 need assistance with one or more activities of daily living, such as taking a shower or a bath. Over 8 million Americans over 15 have vision difficulties, and another 7.5 million have impaired hearing. There are 3.5 million Americans using wheelchairs, while another near 31 million have difficulty walking or climbing stairs. You can find more facts about America’s people, places and economy from the American Community Survey at <www.census.gov>.