Topics
Featured topics are high-levelplain-language explanations of the existing information that the Department has made available about the law.
Learn more about Topics
Featured topics are intended for an audience of people who are not legal experts. We expect that these overviews will answer 80 percent of common questions about a particular topic. They are designed to be easy to scan and navigate. They have clear headings and links that help users skip to a particular section. The overviews are also designed to be easy to understand. They use icons to help explain definitions and they provide clear examples.
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Featured Topics
These topics are the most frequently visited areas of our site. Start here to learn about the most commonly-searched topics of the ADA.
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Introduction to the ADA
How the ADA is structuredand how it protects the rights of people with disabilities
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Service Animals
The definition of a service animalwhere they can goand how they assist people with disabilities
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Parking
Find out how the ADA requires businessesnon-profitsand state/local governments to provide accessible parking spaces.
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Effective Communication
People with certain disabilities might communicate in different ways.
All Topics
These topics are mentioned throughout the ADA. We’ve compiled overviews of these information areas to help you navigate the ADA as it relates to your field of interest.
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Businesses That Are Open to the Public
If you are a business or a person with a disabilitythere are many aspects of the ADA that you should be familiar with. The information below is intended to help get you started.
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Community Integration
The ADA bans the unnecessary segregation of people with disabilities in a regulation called “the integration mandate.” State and local governments must offer services to people with disabilities in home and community settings.
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Criminal Justice
The ADA requires state and local governments including their criminal justice agencies to comply with the ADA. If you are part of a criminal justice agency or a person with a disabilitythere are many aspects of the ADA that you should be familiar with.
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Effective Communication
People with certain disabilities might communicate in different ways.
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Emergency Planning
State and local governments must ensure their emergency planning and management programs are accessible for persons with disabilities.
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Equal Access to Child Care
The ADA requires child care centers to comply with the ADA. A child with a disability must never be turned away based on assumptions about their disability.
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Introduction to the ADA
How the ADA is structuredand how it protects the rights of people with disabilities
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Mobility Devices
Find out how the ADA supports those who use walkerswheelchairsand other power-driven devices to get around.
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Opioid Use Disorder
Find out the ADA's protections for people with Opioid Use Disorder.
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Parental Rights
Parents and prospective parents with disabilities are entitled to equal treatment and equal access to parenting opportunities.
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Parking
Find out how the ADA requires businessesnon-profitsand state/local governments to provide accessible parking spaces.
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Service Animals
The definition of a service animalwhere they can goand how they assist people with disabilities
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State and Local Governments
If you are part of a state/local government program or a person with a disabilitythere are many aspects of the ADA that you should be familiar with.
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Telehealth
The ADA prohibits healthcare providers from discriminating on the basis of disability. This is true when health care is provided in person or through “telehealth.”
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Voting and Polling Places
The ADA requires state and local governments and their election officials to ensure that people with disabilities have a full and equal opportunity to vote in all elections.