The Americans
with Disabilities Act
and Deaf Children

It's important to know the facts about the Americans with Disabilities Act and deaf children. The more you know, the more you'll be impressed with this landmark civil rights act.

You may know little about the Americans with Disabilities Act and deaf children. If so, you are hardly alone. It's been nearly two decades since the ADA emerged as a landmark piece of civil rights legislation. In fact, over the years, America has become accustomed to accommodating people with disabilities. If you came of age in the '90s, you may not realize the kind of challenges people with disabilities—including deaf people—faced before the ADA became law.

A Noble Purpose

The purpose of the ADA was to ban discrimination based on disability. The law applies to employment, public services, public accommodations, commercial facilities, and transportation. The key for the Americans with Disabilities Act and deaf children is the fact that the ADA required the establishment of TDD/telephone relay services. The ADA covers individuals who have an impairment that limits life activities. Therefore, hearing impairment easily falls under the purview of the Act.

An Educational Component

The ADA also requires that people with disabilities be accommodated in terms of public education. Therefore, an individual with a hearing disability cannot be discriminated against when it comes to education. Reasonable accommodation can include such things as redesigning equipment, assigning aides, providing written communication in unique formats, modifying tests, altering facilities, or building new facilities

If Your Rights are Violated

If you believe that your rights, or the rights of your child, have been violated as a result of a hearing impairment, you can seek legal remedies under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which was amended in 1991. This means that you can file a complaint with a federal agency or sue in federal court. For the most part, the agencies charged with enforcing the law encourage people to submit to mediation and negotiation rather than go to court.

There is a strong tie between the Americans with Disabilities Act and deaf children. The ADA is meant to safeguard the rights of people with disabilities of all ages and of all levels of handicap. If you believe that your child is facing discrimination because of a hearing impairment, it is important that you take appropriate action, as outlined in the ADA. It may be one of the best ways to ensure that the hearing impaired are treated with the dignity and respect they deserve.

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