Voices from the Edge: Narratives about the Americans with Disabilities Act

Fear, Rage, Courage, Discrimination. These Are Facts Of Everyday Life For Many Americans With Disabilities. The Americans With Disabilities Act (ada), Has Made Working, Traveling, And Communicating Easier For Many Individuals. But Has This Significant Piece Of Civil Rights Legislation Helped Those With Disabilities Become Fully Accepted Members Of Society? How Does An Individual Deal With Discriminatory Situations That The Law Cannot, Does Not, Or Will Not Cover? What Is Life Like In Post-ada America? The Stories In This Collection Give Readers A Chance To Visualize And Perhaps Resolve These Questions For Themselves. Using The Techniques Of Both Fiction And Creative Non-fiction, The Contributors Bring To Life The Everyday Problems That People With Disabilities Face. Rather Than Analyzing The Law, The Writers Dramatize The Complex Set Of Issues Underlying The Ada As It Is Practiced And Interpreted Around The Country: At A Small Southern College, In The Library Of Congress, On A New York City Sidewalk. The Stories From These Local Battlegrounds Form A Unique Portrait Of A Continuing Struggle. Ruth O'brien's Legal Commentary On The Americans With Disabilities Act Supplements These Narratives. Organized Analytically To Reflect The Ada's Main Provisions, Her Commentary Draws Out And Responds To The Legal Issues Raised In Each Contributor's Narrative. Discussing Relevant Supreme Court And Federal Cases, O'brien Addresses Key Legal Questions Such As: What Recourse Do Individuals Have When Enforcement Of The Law Is Ambiguous Or Virtually Nonexistent? What Is A Disability? How Will Its Changing Definition Affect Individuals' Lives-as Well As Their Legal Actions-in The Future? Voices From The Edge Seeks To Challenge The Mindset Of Those Who Would Deny Equal Protection To The Disabled, While Providing Informative Analysis Of The Intent And Application Of The Ada For Those Who Wish To Learn More About Disability Rights. Giving Voice To Many Types Of Discrimination The Disabled Face While Illustrating The Personal Stakes Underlying Legal Disputes Over The Ada, This Collection Offers Unparalleled Insight Into The Lives Behind The Law. Contributors: Joan Aleshire On Disability And The Eye Of The Beholder. Achim Nowak On Disclosing Hiv. C.g.k. Atkins On Being An Academic Liability. Stephen Kuusisto On Hope Without The Tenure Lifeboat. Leonard Kriegel On Wheelchairs Vs. Nyc Sidewalks. John Hockenberry On Trying One's Luck At Public Transit. Joan Tollifson On A License To Drive Disabled. Shawn Casey O'brien On The Blue Beacon Of Accessibility. Jean Stewart On Sign Language In The Er. Ruth O'brien On Everything You Wanted To Know About The Ada. --publisher Description What Is A Disability? -- Working (title I) -- Local And State Governmental Services (title Ii) -- Public Accommodations Of Privately Owned Businesses (title Iii). Edited By Ruth O'brien. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 249-281) And Index.