News & Events

  • Help Us Measure The Impact of the ADA - 35 Years Later

    This July 26th marks the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990—a landmark civil rights law that continues to shape access and equity in everyday life. While progress has been made, the need to understand the ADA's ongoing impact—and the barriers that still exist—is more urgent than ever.

    We invite you to take part in a brief, anonymous survey to help us assess how far we've come and how far we still need to go. The survey results will be used to inform and guide technical assistance and policy recommendations related to the ADA.

    The survey closes May 30, so take the survey now!

    National Survey on Health and Disability (NSHD)

    Do you have a physical, mental, emotional, or health condition?

    If you answered ‘yes,’ the University of Kansas wants you to participate in the 2025 National Survey on Health and Disability (NSHD).

    The world is changing, and now, more than ever, your experiences need to be heard!

    Your shared knowledge and experiences will be used to develop resources, as well as policy and practice recommendations, to address issues that affect the health, employment, and lives of Americans with disabilities!

    Take the survey: 2025 National Survey on Health and Disability

    To learn more, visit the KU website and read the press release.

    This survey is available online in English, Español, and American Sign Language, or over the phone.

  • Free Webinar – Southeast ADA Center – ADA and Fostering an Inclusive Work Culture for Employees with Psychiatric Disabilities

    Thursday, May 22, 2025, 10-11 a.m. ET

    According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), approximately 23% of American adults experience some form of mental illness (or psychiatric disability) on a yearly basis. And across the population, almost 6% of American adults live with a serious mental health condition such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder or long-term recurring major depression. For many individuals with psychiatric disabilities, work is key to their health and contributes to a sense of purpose and wellbeing. Thus, it is important that employers understand how to foster a mental health-friendly work culture.

    Register here for the Inclusive Work Culture webinar

  • Free Webinar – Mid-Atlantic ADA Center – Mental Health Matters: The Most Frequently Requested Workplace Accommodations

    Wednesday, May 21, 2025, 2-3 p.m. ET

    Accommodating workers with mental health conditions in the workplace may pose unique considerations that do not exist with other disabilities, as the need for accommodations may not always be apparent. Potential complexities may arise in understanding employee limitations and determining effective accommodations. Discover how the Job Accommodation Network (JAN) can help organizations navigate the complexities of accommodating employees with mental health conditions while promoting productivity and well-being. Extensive and pertinent resources will be provided.

    Register here for the Mental Health Accommodations webinar

  • How common is disability among adults in the US?

    Check out our latest blog post featuring Bill Erickson, the primary researcher behind the Northeast ADA Center’s newly updated DisabilityStatistics.org. Bill explains why there are different answers to this question depending on who you ask.

    To find your own disability statistics, visit Northeast ADA Center’s DisabilityStatistics.org!

  • Registration is open for the Virtual and In-Person 2025 ADA Symposiums!

    The National ADA Symposium is an annual conference on the Americans with Disabilities Act and disability-related laws. This comprehensive conference provides the latest information on all areas of the ADA, including regulations and guidelines, implementation strategies, and best practices.

    Virtual ADA Symposium: May 5-7, 2025

    In-Person ADA Symposium: June 15-18, 2025, Atlanta, Georgia

    To learn more and register, visit National ADA Symposium – Great Plains ADA Center

  • Free Webinar - Inclusive Summer Camps - A Review of Key ADA Considerations

    Wednesday, April 16, 2025, 1-2 p.m. ET

    Presenter: Jennifer Perry, Access Specialist Northeast ADA Center

    This webinar will review the ADA requirements for summer camps that aid in making camps more inclusive for participants with disabilities. ADA topics discussed will include physical accessibility, reasonable modifications of policies, effective communication, and eligibility criteria. ADA Settlement agreements that address some of these issues will be highlighted as well.

    Register for the Inclusive Camps webinar

    Free webinar – Pacific ADA Center: Accessible Electronic Communication in Healthcare Settings

    Thursday, April 17, 2025, 2:30-4 p.m. ET

    Join the Pacific ADA Center for an insightful webinar on making online communication more accessible and easy to understand. Designed for medical providers, this session will highlight common barriers people with disabilities face when accessing important health information. The speakers will break down the Americans with Disabilities Act’s requirements on effective communication and introduce practical tools to help you create more inclusive and accessible content. Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your communication skills and ensure equitable access to healthcare information!

    Register for the Accessible Electronic Communications in Healthcare Settings webinar

  • Free Webinar – Great Lakes ADA Center - Ask an Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) Professional RE: Ticketing and Accessible Seating

    Wednesday, April 9, 2025, 2-3 p.m. ET

    With concert and event season fast approaching, this session is our reminder that the ADA requires covered entities to provide tickets for accessible seating at events where assigned seating is provided. However, there are still many entities and attendees with disabilities who have questions about this process. For example, who qualifies for accessible seating? How long do event hosts need to reserve these seats? What requirements do third-party ticket sellers like Ticketmaster, Stubhub and other re-selling platforms have to meet? Join the Great Lakes ADA Center for this live Q&A event with ADA professionals from the ADA National Network who will be answering these and other questions about ticketing and accessible seating under the ADA.

    Individuals are encouraged to submit questions for the presenters in advance through the registration process.

    Human generated captioning and sign language interpreters will be available.

    Register here for the Ticketing and Accessible Seating Webinar

  • March 26 is International Purple Day

    In 2009, Cassidy Megan and the Epilepsy Association of The Maritimes joined forces with The Anita Kaufmann Foundation to launch Purple Day internationally. Cassidy created Purple Day to spread facts about seizures and remind people with seizures that they are not alone! Want to help? Visit PurpleDay.org to learn how!

  • Free Webinar - Inclusive Summer Camps - A Review of Key ADA Considerations

    Tuesday, March 25, 2025, 1-2 p.m. ET

    Presenter: Jennifer Perry, Access Specialist Northeast ADA Center

    This webinar will review the ADA requirements for summer camps that aid in making camps more inclusive for participants with disabilities. ADA topics discussed will include physical accessibility, reasonable modifications of policies, effective communication, and eligibility criteria. ADA Settlement agreements that address some of these issues will be highlighted as well.

    Register for the Inclusive Camps webinar

  • Free Webinar – Great Lakes ADA Center: Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) Litigation Update

    Wednesday, March 19, 2025, 2-3:30 p.m. EDT

    How the courts interpret the ADA can greatly impact all ADA stakeholders. This session will provide an in-depth review of some of the most significant ADA cases from the past year. In addition to reviewing the specific facts and ruling of each case, there will be discussion of how these cases may affect future ADA litigation. The webinar will cover a wide variety of issues under Titles I, II and III. Join the Great Lakes ADA Center to have a better understanding of what courts across the country are saying about the ADA.

    Register for the ADA litigation webinar

  • March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month

    March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month (DDAM)! Every year, the National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD) promotes DDAM in March to raise awareness about the inclusion of people with developmental disabilities in our communities. To learn more, visit the NACDD webpage.

  • What is a Disability?

    June 10, 2025, 1:00-2:00 pm EST

    Presenters: Chris Sweet, Technical Assistant and Outreach Specialist Northeast ADA Center, Joe Zesski, Program Manager Northeast ADA Center

    Understanding what disability means under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) can be tricky. People often have their own preconceptions of what disability means or may assume a definition for disability from laws other than the ADA. This webinar explores the definition of disability under the ADA, its interpretation, and where it applies under the law. It also discusses how the ADA’s definition of disability is often different from definitions used by service providers, federal programs, and advocates.

    Register for What is a Disability webinar

    Presented By: Christopher Sweet & Joe Zesski

  • What is the ADA; 35 Years Along

    July 23, 2025, 1:00-2:00 pm EST

    Presenters: Joe Zesski, Program Manager Northeast ADA Center, Chris Sweet, Technical Assistant and Outreach Specialist Northeast ADA Center

    The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a landmark civil rights law that was passed in 1990. It works to ensure equal access and equal opportunity for people with disabilities in the community. This webinar will explore what the ADA is, how it came to be, its impact over the last 35 years, and how it continues to protect the rights of people with disabilities today.

    Register for the What is the ADA webinar

    Presented By: Joe Zesski & Chris Sweet

  • Small Business at Work: Ensuring Inclusion for All

    August 5, 2025, 1:00-2:00 pm EST

    Presenter: Jennifer Perry, Access Specialist Northeast ADA Center

    When a small business ensures access to both goods and services and commit to inclusive hiring, they can make a huge difference in their communities. This session will introduce a tool that helps to support small business as they seek to welcome community members both as customers and as employees.  Small businesses are required to comply with both Title I and Title III of the ADA, but translating the legal requirements into action can be challenging. To help small business owners understand the law and the benefits of inclusion, we will discuss the ADA and review the tools that can help to improve disability inclusion and promote ADA compliance in your business.

    Register for the Small Business at Work webinar

    Presented By: Jennifer Perry

  • ADA Overview: A Focus on Title I

    September 9, 2025, 1:00-2:15 pm EST

    Presenter: Jeffrey Tamburo, Training and Content Development Specialist, Northeast ADA Center

    This session will present a broad overview of Title I of the ADA, the employment provisions.

    The presentation will last approximately 60 minutes followed by an additional fifteen minutes of Q&A time. One hour of CRC credit available.

    Register for the ADA Overview: A Focus on Title I

    Presented By: Jeffrey Tamburo

  • Disability Disclosure and the Interactive Process

    October 14, 2025, 1:00-2:15 pm EST

    Presenter: Jeffrey Tamburo, Training and Content Development Specialist, Northeast ADA Center

    Can an employer ask a job applicant or employee if they have a disability? How do I best support a job seeker/employee in making the best choice for them when it comes to disclosing a disability? What does the ADA mean by “the interactive process”? A job application invites applicants to “self-identify” as having a disability—what does this mean? This session will not only review what the ADA says about disability disclosure in the workplace, but also the very real human impact of disclosure. The presentation will last approximately 60 minutes followed by an additional fifteen minutes of Q&A time. One hour of CRC credit available.

    Register for the Disability Disclosure and the Interactive Process webinar

    Presented By: Jeffrey Tamburo

  • When the Employer Requests Documentation of Disability: Key Considerations for the Employment Service Professional

    November 18, 2025, 1:00-2:15 pm EST

    Presenter: Jeffrey Tamburo, Training and Content Development Specialist, Northeast ADA Center

    The ADA states that employers may request medical documentation as verification of disability, as long as it is “job related and consistent with business necessity.” What exactly does this mean? What are the guidelines for these requests? Who can provide this information and what should it say?

    The presentation will last approximately 60 minutes followed by an additional fifteen minutes of Q&A time. One hour of CRC credit available.

    Register for the When the Employer Requests Documentation of Disability webinar

    Presented By: Jeffrey Tamburo

  • Is an Accommodation Forever?

    December 9, 2025, 1:00-2:15 pm EST

    Presenter: Jeffrey Tamburo, Training and Content Development Specialist, Northeast ADA Center

    Much focus is given to exploring and implementing reasonable accommodations in the workplace, but it is equally important to continue to monitor accommodations to insure they remain effective over time. This session will explore best practices for the employment service professional to consider in their work with employers and supported employees when monitoring the ongoing effectiveness of workplace accommodations.

    The presentation will last approximately 60 minutes followed by an additional fifteen minutes of Q&A time. One hour of CRC credit available.

    Register for the Is an Accommodation Forever webinar

    Presented By: Jeffrey Tamburo