celebrating 30 years of the ADA
T H E L AST I N G O F C OVI D - 1 9 As nearly every industry is forced to make changes resulting from this global pandemic, people with disabilities must be included in new accommodations
Beyond the impacts to access to services, society has seen changes in the way we work, learn and engage as a result of the COVID-19 global pandemic. These changes have led to meaningful conversations that have touched on accommodations in the workplace, who can work and participate in the workforce, how we can teach students from a distance while also engaging them in meaningful instruction and the ways in which we can provide health care. As a result, across the country and the globe, we have seen an increase in telework, distance learning and telehealth.
ISSUE 3 2020 | CAPITOL IDEAS
Accommodations
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As health vulnerabilities put some people with disabilities at significant risk for contracting COVID-19, states are extending accommodations in several ways, including making telework more accessible. States such as Virginia, Oklahoma, Missouri, Massachusetts and Arizona have been highlighted by the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) for their provisions surrounding web accessibility. Many of these states have established their own guidelines, passed legislation to ensure accessibility or accurately executed federal law. Several technology companies have also
taken measures to accommodate people with disabilities. By making telework a regular option, employers can help alleviate the barriers of a traditional worksite, including on-site job duties and commuting limitations. Companies such as Facebook, Twitter, Nationwide and Barclays have announced they will allow employees to work from home indefinitely, consequently broadening employment options for people with disabilities.
Effects on Distance Learning Due to the concern for the safety of students amid the COVID-19 outbreak, schools have transitioned to distance learning formats in lieu of traditional classroom teaching. Title II of the ADA protects individuals, including the 7.1 million American students receiving special education services, from discrimination based on disability in the provision of services, activities and programs provided by state and local governments. The ADA, combined with
