On the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, people with disabilities are still facing the same lifestyle and economic challenges they confronted in 1990. According to a 2010 survey sponsored by Kessler Foundation and the National Organization on Disability (NOD) and conducted by Harris Interactive, there have been little to no substantial gains in 10 key indicators: employment, income, education, health care, access to transportation, socializing, going to restaurants, attendance at religious services, political participation and life satisfaction.

The largest gap between people with and without disabilities exists in the area of employment, a discrepancy the survey attributes to the ongoing lack of progress in areas such as income, access to health care and socialization. Among all working-age people with disabilities, only 21 percent say they are employed full or part time, compared to 59 percent of people without disabilities—a gap of 38 points.

The survey also revealed the following findings:

• People with disabilities are still much more likely to be living in poverty than those without disabilities.
• People with disabilities are less likely than those without disabilities to socialize with friends, relatives or neighbors, once again suggesting that there are significant barriers to participation in leisure activities for this population.
• The second-largest gap between people with and without disabilities is regarding Internet access. Eight-five percent of adults without disabilities access the Internet, whereas only 54 percent of adults with disabilities report the same—a gap of 31 percentage points.

"There have been some improvements measured over the years that may be in part attributable to the implementation of the ADA of 1990," says Humphrey Taylor, chairman of The Harris Poll and member of the NOD board. "However, much work remains to be done in order to narrow the considerable gaps that still exist."  

"The disability rights movement lags behind other civil rights movements and we have to catch up,” adds NOD President Carol Glazer. “There is a role for everyone. Governments need to remove disincentives for people with disabilities so they can start to work. Businesses need to realize the enormous contributions workers with disabilities can make."

The current survey marks the sixth effort by Kessler, NOD and Harris Interactive over the past 24 years to assess the quality of life of people with disabilities on the 10 aforementioned key indicators, and to track them over time. To review the complete survey, please visit www.2010DisabilitySurveys.org.