The Americans with Disabilities Act, now 20 years old, and a
host of state accessibility laws have been instrumental in
improving access for those with disabilities to public
transportation, office buildings and public bathrooms. But the
ability to participate in “normal” life, for most people with
disabilities, is not just about accessible transportation and
sidewalk ramps. It means finding a job, supporting themselves
and their families, paying taxes and contributing to the well-
being of their community. It means being a full citizen in every
regard. Approximately one in five individuals in the U.S. — 54
million people — has a disability, and 35 million people have
what is defined by the Census Bureau as a “severe disability.”
But, to date, it has been easier, as a society, to ignore people
with disabilities rather than to spend the time and creative
energy to develop innovative solutions to their needs. This
attitude is hurting American business. The person in a
wheelchair, after all, could become a vice p