25 Years of the Americans With Disabilities Act

"A quarter-century after the law's passage, the [Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)] has transformed the way we approach the built environment for people with disabilities and has inspired architects, and the general public, to keep broadening the way they define accessibility," according to an article by Patrick Sisson.

Sisson adds:

"In the process, many have discovered that more accessible design creates a better environment for everyone. Something as simple as a now-commonplace curb ramp makes mobility easier for cyclists, skateboarders, parents pushing strollers, and those with physical impairments. By removing barriers, inspiring advances in accessible design, and asking architects to focus even more on the diversity of human experience, the act changed the way we think about and build public spaces." 

The long read article begins with the description of some of the tactics used by the advocates who succeeded in convincing Congress to pass the bill in 1990, a discussion of the legal details of the ADA, and the impact of the law on the architecture profession (which includes the development of best practices that go beyond minimum conformance with the standards of the ADA).