U. S. Department of Justice
Civil Rights Division
Disability Rights Section
To make access to information about the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) as easy as a trip to your local library, the Department of Justice (DOJ), through a grant to the Kansas State Library and the Chief Officers of State Libraries Agencies, has sent an ADA Information File containing technical assistance documents to 15,000 libraries across the country. Most libraries have placed the File at the reference desk. With the addition of the items identified by an asterisk (*), in early 1997 the ADA Information File will contain the following materials:
* A Guide to Disability Rights Laws. A 14-page booklet developed by DOJ providing a brief description of the ADA, the Fair Housing Act, Air Carrier Access Act, Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Rehabilitation Act, Architectural Barriers Act, and the federal agencies to contact for more information.
Public Law 101-336. The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 as enacted by Congress.
Title II Regulation, as published in 28 CFR 35, July 26, 1991. DOJ's final rule implementing title II, subtitle A, of the Americans with Disabilities Act which prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in state and local government programs and services.
Title III Regulation, Revised, as published in 28 CFR 36, July 1, 1994. DOJ's final rule implementing title III of the ADA, which prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability by public accommodations and commercial facilities, incorporating the original rule and the changes published in January and April 1994.
* Title III Regulation; Detectable Warnings (7/29/96). The final rule published jointly by the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board, Department of Justice, and Department of Transportation that extends the suspension of the requirements in the ADA Standards for Accessible Design for detectable warnings at curb ramps, hazardous vehicular areas, and reflecting pools from July 26, 1996 to July 26, 1998.
Title III Regulation; Detectable Warnings (4/12/94). The final rule published jointly by the Architectural and Transportation Compliance Compliance Board, Department of Justice, and Department of Transportation that temporarily suspends until July 26, 1996, the requirements in the ADA Standards for Accessible Design for detectable warnings at curb ramps, hazardous vehicular areas, and reflecting pools.
Title III Regulation; Transportation Facilities and Accessible Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) (1/18/94). The final rule that amends the ADA Standards for Accessible Design by incorporating accessible design standards for transportation facilities and by adopting amendments to the reach range requirement for accessible automated teller machines and fare vending machines.
Title III Regulation, July 26, 1991. The original version of the final rule implementing title III of the ADA.
Technical Assistance Manuals and Highlights
Title I Technical Assistance Manual and Resource Directory. A manual developed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that provides technical information on the employment provisions of the ADA and includes an extensive resource directory of related programs and organizations.
Title II Technical Assistance Manual (1993 edition). A manual developed by DOJ that provides technical information on the title II requirements covering state and local government programs and services.
Title II Technical Assistance Manual 1994 Supplement. Title II Technical Assistance Manual update.
Title III Technical Assistance Manual (1993 edition). A manual developed by DOJ that provides technical information on the title III requirements covering public accommodations and commercial facilities.
Title III Technical Assistance Manual 1994 Supplement. Title III Technical Assistance Manual update.
* Title II Highlights. An 8-page outline developed by DOJ of the key requirements of the ADA for state and local governments. This publication provides detailed information in bullet format for quick reference.
* Puntos Mas Destacados del Titulo II. The Title II Highlights in Spanish.
* Title III Highlights. A 12-page outline developed by DOJ of the key requirements of the ADA for businesses and non-profit agencies. This publication provides detailed information in bullet format for quick reference.
* Puntos Mas Destacados del Titulo III. The Title III Highlights in Spanish.
Question and Answer Publications
ADA Questions and Answers. A 32-page booklet developed jointly by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Department of Justice giving an overview of the ADA's requirements affecting employers, businesses, non-profit service agencies, state and local governments, and agencies that provide public transportation or telephone services.
La Ley para Personas con Desabilidades Preguntas y Respuestas. The ADA Questions and Answers booklet in Spanish.
ADA: Your Employment Rights as an Individual with a Disability. An 11-page booklet developed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to answer employees common questions about title I.
ADA: Your Responsibilities as an Employer. A 17-page booklet developed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to answer employers common questions about title I.
* Commonly Asked Questions About the Americans with Disabilities Act and Law Enforcement. A 13-page DOJ publication explaining ADA requirements for ensuring that people with disabilities receive the same law enforcement services and protections as provided to others.
* Commonly Asked Questions About Service Animals in Places of Business. A 3-page DOJ publication providing information about service animals and ADA requirements.
Commonly Asked Questions About Title II of the ADA. A 6-page DOJ publication providing information for state and local governments about ADA requirements for ensuring that people with disabilities receive the same services and benefits as provided to others.
Commonly Asked Questions Regarding Telephone Emergency Services. A 3-page DOJ publication explaining ADA requirements for ensuring that "911" and other telephone emergency services are available to people who use TDD's.
* Myths and Facts About the Americans with Disabilities Act. A 3-page publication developed by DOJ dispelling some common misconceptions about the ADA's requirements and implementation.
* Questions and Answers: The Americans with Disabilities Act and Persons with HIV/AIDS. A 16-page DOJ publication explaining the requirements of the ADA for employers, businesses and non-profit agencies that serve the public, and state and local governments to avoid discriminating against persons with HIV/AIDS. Also includes telephone numbers of federal agencies and other organizations that provide information about the ADA.
ADA-TA and Other Technical Assistance
* ADA-TA: A Technical Assistance Update from the Department of Justice. A serial publication that answers "Common Questions" about ADA requirements and provides "Design Details" illustrating particular design requirements. The first edition addresses "Readily Achievable Barrier Removal" and "Van Accessible Parking Spaces."
* Accessible Stadiums. A 4-page DOJ publication highlighting features that must be accessible in new stadiums including line of sight for wheelchair seating locations.
* ADA Guide for Small Businesses. A 15-page booklet developed by DOJ for small businesses that provide goods and services to the public. This publication provides an overview of basic ADA requirements, illustrates ways to make facilities accessible, and provides information about tax credits and deductions that may be used to offset costs.
Status Reports
Enforcing the ADA - A Status Report from the Department of Justice. A brief report issued by the Justice Department each quarter providing timely information about selected ADA cases and settlements, building codes that meet ADA accessibility standards, and ADA technical assistance activities.
Issues published to date:
April 4, 1994
April-June 1994 Update
July-September 1994 Update
October-December 1994 Update
January-March 1995 Update
A Special Fifth Anniversary Status Report - July 26, 1995
* April-September 1995
* October 1995-March 1996
* April-June 1996
Food Industry
ADA Answers for Foodservice Operators. A 48-page guide developed under a DOJ grant by the National Restaurant Association and the National Center for Access Unlimited that provides an overview of the title III requirements that affect the food service industry.
ADA Nationwide Resources. A 43-page document developed under a DOJ grant by the Food Marketing Institute that contains a list of Federal resources, regional centers for technical assistance, State councils that provide information and referral services, private organizations, and a list of publications on disability.
Facilities Survey & Budget Book (Supermarkets). A 22-page survey and budget document developed under a DOJ grant by the Food Marketing Institute that focuses on removal of barriers in supermarkets.
Grocery Stores: Access Equals Opportunity. A 30-page booklet developed under a DOJ grant by the Council of Better Business Bureaus Foundation that addresses compliance issues under title III for grocery stores.
Restaurants & Bars: Access Equals Opportunity. A 30-page booklet developed under a DOJ grant by the Council of Better Business Bureaus Foundation that addresses compliance issues under title III for restaurants and bars.
Ten Step Action Plan (Supermarkets). A pamphlet developed under a DOJ grant by the Food Marketing Institute that outlines an action plan to be used by supermarkets in achieving compliance with the ADA.
Health Care and Medical Facilities
ADA: Answers to Questions Most Commonly Asked by Hospitals and Health Care Providers. A 12-page booklet developed under a DOJ grant by the National Rehabilitation Hospital that answers questions frequently asked by health care providers about their obligations under the ADA.
ADA Questions and Answers for Health Care Providers. A 24-page booklet developed under a DOJ grant by the National Center for Law and Deafness that answers questions regarding the obligations of private health care providers under title III of the ADA to communicate effectively with individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing.
Information for Persons with Disabilities: Access to Public and Private Health Care. A pamphlet developed under a DOJ grant by the National Rehabilitation Hospital that explains the obligations of health care providers under titles II and III.
Medical Care Facilities: ADAAG Tech Sheet Series. A 17-page design guide developed by Barrier Free Environments, Inc., under a grant from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research that provides information on the scope and design requirements for new and altered medical care facilities.
Medical Offices: Access Equals Opportunity. A 30-page booklet developed under a DOJ grant by the Council of Better Business Bureaus Foundation that addresses compliance issues under title III for medical offices.
Self-Evaluation Checklist for Health Care Facilities. A 44-page checklist developed under a DOJ grant by the American Foundation for the Blind that provides guidance for health care providers in making their services and facilities accessible for persons who are blind, deaf-blind, or visually impaired.
Hotels and Motels
Accommodating All Guests: The ADA and the Lodging Industry. A 70-page guide developed under a DOJ grant by the American Hotel & Motel Association that provides information on the requirements of the ADA as they apply to the lodging industry.
Self-Evaluation Checklist for Hotels and Motels. A 36-page checklist developed under a DOJ grant by the American Foundation for the Blind that provides guidance for hotels and motels in making their services and facilities accessible for persons who are blind, deaf-blind, or visually impaired.
Child Care
All Kids Count: Child Care and the ADA. An 89-page guide developed under a DOJ grant by The Arc that advises child care providers about including children with disabilities in regular child care settings.
Child Care Settings and the ADA. A two-page fact sheet developed under a DOJ grant by The Arc that provides information on the ADA requirements that apply to child care centers and family day care homes.
Other Business & Business Related Resources
* Accessible Stadiums. A 4-page publication developed by DOJ highlighting features that must be accessible in new stadiums including line of sight for wheelchair seating locations.
* ADA Guide for Small Businesses. A 15-page booklet developed by DOJ for small businesses that provide goods and services to the public. This publication provides an overview of basic ADA requirements, illustrates ways to make facilities accessible, and provides information about tax credits and deductions that may be used to offset costs.
* ADA Resource Guide for Building Industry Professionals. An annotated bibliography developed under a DOJ grant by the Home Builders Institute that contains a list of federal resources, a list of publications on disability, and audiovisual resources to assist the construction industry comply with the ADA.
The Americans with Disabilities Act Title III: A Guide for Making Your Business Accessible to People with Mental Retardation. An 11-page booklet developed under a DOJ grant by The Arc that offers a series of suggestions to help businesses make their goods and services accessible to people with mental retardation.
Car Sales & Service: Access Equals Opportunity. A 30-page booklet developed under a DOJ grant by the Council of Better Business Bureaus Foundation that addresses compliance issues under title III for automobile dealers, rental establishments, and service stations.
* Checklist for Existing Facilities: The ADA Checklist for Readily Achievable Barrier Removal (August, 1995). A checklist developed by Adaptive Environments Center, Inc., and Barrier Free Environments, Inc., under a grant from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research that helps businesses identify accessibility problems and solutions for meeting their barrier removal obligations under the ADA.
La Ley Para Personas con Impedimentos Lista de Verificacion de Eliminacion de Barreras Facilmente Realizable. The Checklist for Existing Facilities in Spanish.
Fun & Fitness Centers: Access Equals Opportunity. A 30-page booklet developed under a DOJ grant by the Council of Better Business Bureaus Foundation that addresses compliance issues under title III for recreation facilities and fitness centers.
Open for Business (Videotape). A 15-minute videotape developed under a DOJ grant by The Institute for Law and Policy Planning that provides visual examples to businesses for meeting their barrier removal obligations under the ADA.
Professional Offices: Access Equals Opportunity. A 26-page booklet developed under a DOJ grant by the Council of Better Business Bureaus Foundation that addresses compliance issues under title III for professional offices.
Retail Stores: Access Equals Opportunity. A 30-page booklet developed under a DOJ grant by the Council of Better Business Bureaus Foundation that addresses compliance issues under title III for retail stores.
Shops and Services: Access Equals Opportunity. A 26-page booklet developed under a DOJ grant by the Council of Better Business Bureaus Foundation that addresses compliance issues under title III for small shops and services.
Travel and Tours: Access Equals Opportunity. A 26-page booklet developed under a DOJ grant by the Council of Better Business Bureaus Foundation that addresses compliance issues under title III for travel and tour agencies.
ADA Questions and Answers for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Individuals. A 32-page booklet developed under a DOJ grant by the National Center for Law and Deafness answering questions about the rights of people with disabilities under the ADA.
Communication and the ADA. A 4-page fact sheet developed under a DOJ grant by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association that provides guidance on complying with the ADA requirements for communicating effectively with people who have hearing or speech impairments.
Communication Fact Sheet. A 2-page fact sheet developed under a DOJ grant by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association that provides an overview of various communication disabilities and methods that can be used to achieve effective communication.
* EASE TTY Call Reference Card. A reference card developed under a DOJ grant by the Telecommunications for the Deaf, Inc., which provides information on handling calls to and from persons who use telecommunication devices for the deaf (TDD's).
Of Consuming Interest: A Guide to Titles II and III of the ADA for People with Vision Loss. A 49-page guide developed under a DOJ grant by the American Foundation for the Blind in a question and answer format that contains information about the ADA for individuals who are blind, deaf-blind, or visually impaired.
Toward Equal Access: Providing Information Access Services to Blind and Visually Impaired Persons Under the ADA. An 8-page booklet developed under a DOJ grant by the National Federation of the Blind that provides information on the ADA requirements for providing written material in formats accessible to people with vision impairments.
* Accessible Stadiums. A 4-page publication developed by DOJ highlighting features that must be accessible in new stadiums including line of sight for wheelchair seating locations.
* A Police Officer's Guide--When In Contact With People Who Have Mental Retardation. A pamphlet developed under a DOJ grant by The Arc that provides information to police officers on interacting with people who have mental retardation.
Directory of Local ADA Officials. A 47-page resource guide developed under a DOJ grant by the U. S. Conference of Mayors that contains a listing of designated ADA coordinators, arranged by state, who deal with title II access issues in various cities across the United States.
* Implementing the ADA: Case Studies of Exemplary Local Programs. A 76-page book developed by the U.S. Conference of Mayors which provides information on twelve cities that developed programs to provide better access to services for people with disabilities.
* Know Your Rights If You Get Arrested. A pamphlet developed under a DOJ grant by The Arc that provides information to individuals with mental retardation on their rights if arrested or questioned by police officers or deputies.
* Opening Public Agency Doors: Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act and People with Mental Illnesses: A Collaborative Approach for Ensuring Equal Access to State Benefit and Service Programs. A 72-page report produced under a DOJ grant by the Bazelon Center for Mental Health which documents the development of a process for evaluating state and local programs for compliance with the ADA.
* A Self-Evaluation Guide for Public Elementary and Secondary Schools. A 277-page guide produced by the U. S. Department of Education and Adaptive Environments, Inc. to help public school systems comply with the ADA, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
Take Another Look: Police Response to Seizures and Epilepsy. A pamphlet and poster developed under a DOJ grant by the Police Executive Research Forum that provides law enforcement personnel with information on how to recognize and respond effectively to a person who has a seizure disorder.
Title II Action Guide. A guide developed by Adaptive Environments Center, Inc., and Barrier Free Environments, Inc., under a grant from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research that explains compliance obligations for state and local government programs and services.
Title II Action Guide Supplement on Employment. A 41-page document developed by Adaptive Environments Center, Inc., and Barrier Free Environments, Inc., under a grant from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research that assists state and local government agencies in evaluating their employment practices as required by the ADA.
ADA: Accessibility for Older Persons with Disabilities Training Manual. A 76-page guide developed under a DOJ grant by the American Association of Retired Persons that gives an overview of title II and III requirements and ADA issues for older people.
ADA Annotated Bibliography of Resources. An 84-page guide developed under a DOJ grant by the American Association of Retired Persons that provides resources regarding sources and publications about the ADA, recent DOJ ADA grantees, and technology and disability contacts.
* Opening the Doors to Older Persons. A 90-page accessibility checklist developed under a DOJ grant by the American Association of Retired Persons that provides information to aid public and private organizations in surveying their facilities, particularly those serving older persons.
Accessible Route: ADAAG Tech Sheet Series. A 23-page design guide developed by Barrier Free Environments, Inc., under a grant from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research that provides information on the scope and design requirements for accessible routes in new and altered facilities covered by the ADA.
Areas of Rescue Assistance: ADAAG Tech Sheet Series. A 22-page design guide developed by Barrier Free Environments, Inc., under a grant from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research that provides information on the scope and design requirements for areas of rescue assistance in new and altered facilities covered by the ADA.
* Doors: ADAAG Tech Sheet Series. A 12-page design guide developed by Barrier Free Environments, Inc., under a grant from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research that provides information on the scope and design requirements for doors in new and altered facilities covered by the ADA.
* Lavatories and Mirrors: ADAAG Tech Sheet Series. A 7-page design guide developed by Barrier Free Environments, Inc., under a grant from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research that provides information on the scope and design requirements for lavatories and mirrors in new and altered facilities covered by the ADA.
Medical Care Facilities: ADAAG Tech Sheet Series. A 17-page design guide developed by Barrier Free Environments, Inc., under a grant from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research that provides information on the scope and design requirements for medical care facilities in new and altered facilities covered by the ADA.
Toilet Stalls: ADAAG Tech Sheet Series. A 12-page design guide developed by Barrier Free Environments, Inc., under a grant from the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research that provides information on the scope and design requirements for toilet stalls in new and altered facilities covered by the ADA.
ADA Information Services (an updated list from DOJ that replaces 9/95 version). A 2-page list which contains the telephone numbers and Internet and electronic bulletin board addresses of federal agencies and organizations that provide information about provisions of the ADA applying to state and local government programs and services, public accommodations and commercial facilities, employment, and communication.
A Guide to Legal Documents. An 11-page guide developed by the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund under a joint EEOC/DOJ training contract that explains four types of legal source documents pertaining to the ADA and how to reference them.
* Explanation of the Contents of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. A 214-page manual developed by the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, and used under a joint EEOC/DOJ training contract, that provides an explanation of the ADA regulations covering employment, public accommodations, state and local government, transportation, telecommunications, miscellaneous provisions, and tax credit and deduction.
* How to Comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act, Sources of Federal Guidelines. A pamphlet and order form developed by the Superintendent of Documents describing ten documents related to the ADA and other disability issues available for sale from the Government Printing Office.
Want to Resolve Your ADA Complaint? Consider Mediation. A pamphlet developed under a DOJ grant by the Key Bridge Foundation that explains the option of mediation for resolving an ADA complaint.
January 1997
last updated January 22, 1999