Americans with Disabilities Act: Questions and Answers

Barriers to employment, transportation, public accommodations, public services, and telecommunications have imposed staggering economic and social costs on American society and have undermined our well-intentioned efforts to educate, rehabilitate, and employ individuals with disabilities. By breaking down these barriers, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) will enable society to benefit from the skills and talents of individuals with disabilities, will allow us all to gain from their increased purchasing power and ability to use it, and will lead to fuller, more productive lives for all Americans.

The Americans with Disabilities Act gives civil rights protections to individuals with disabilities similar to those provided to individuals on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, and religion. It guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in public accommodations, employment, transportation, State and local government services, and telecommunications.

Fair, swift, and effective enforcement of this landmark civil rights legislation is a high priority of the Federal Government. The below links are designed to provide answers to some of the most often asked questions about the ADA. Please note for your ease we have broken these into specific categories relative to Title and applicability.

Title I Employment | Title II State and local governments | Title III Businesses (public accommodations and commercial facilities) 

For answers to additional questions, call the ADA Information Line
800-514-0301 (voice)
800-514-0383 (TTY)

Telephone Numbers for ADA Information
This list contains the telephone numbers of Federal agencies that are responsible for providing information to the public about the Americans with Disabilities Act and organizations that have been funded by the Federal government to provide information through staffed information centers. The agencies and organizations listed are sources for obtaining information about the law's requirements and informal guidance in understanding and complying with the ADA.

ADA Information Line
U.S. Department of Justice
For ADA publications and questions
800-514-0301 (voice)
800-514-0383 (TTY)
www.ada.gov 

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
For publications
800-669-3362 (voice)
800-800-3302 (TTY)
For questions
800-669-4000 (voice)
800-669-6820 (TTY)
www.eeoc.gov

U.S. Department of Transportation
ADA Assistance Line for
regulations and complaints
888-446-4511 (voice)
TTY: use relay service
www.fta.dot.gov/civilrights/civil_rights_2360.html

Federal Communications Commission
888-225-5322 (voice)
888-835-5322 (TTY)
www.fcc.gov/cgb/dro

U.S. Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board
800-872-2253 (voice)
800-993-2822 (TTY)
www.access-board.gov

U.S. Department of Labor
Job Accommodation Network
800-526-7234 (voice & TTY)
www.jan.wvu.edu

U.S. Department of Education
Regional Disability and Business Technical Assistance Centers
800-949-4232 (voice & TTY)
www.adata.org

U.S. Department of Transportaion
Project Action
800-659-6428 (voice)
TTY: use relay service
www.projectaction.org

Addresses for ADA Information

U.S. Department of Justice
Civil Rights Division
950 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Disability Rights Section - NYAV
Washington, DC 20530

U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
1801 L Street, NW
Washington, DC 20507

U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Transit Administration
400 Seventh Street, SW
Washington, DC 20590

Federal Communications Commission
1919 M Street, NW
Washington, DC 20554

Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board
1331 F Street, NW Suite 1000
Washington, DC 20004-1111

Note: Reproduction of this document is encouraged.

Last updated: February 4, 2009