"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness." (US Constitution) The US Constitution, the very foundation of our country, promises American citizens certain unalienable rights. But, it was only recently that our disabled citizens fully acquired theirs. The civil rights of the handicapped had been limited because of their disabilities, and they were often segregated by the public. Several acts had guaranteed rights to other minority groups like women and African Americans. But, no law had been passed to affirm theirs. Besides the assurance to basic human rights, the Constitution had completely neglected them. "The Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex or national origin." (Civil Rights Act Judiciary.gov) The Civil Rights Act did not support the disabled, so they were impelled to initiate their own movement to gain their rights, which was an improvement to the Constitution. By means of the Disability Movement, several laws had been passed and the Constitution had been amended in order to accommodate handicapped citizens more thoroughly. Before the movement, the disabled were entitled to only basic rights and faced many discriminations against their incapacities. For example, many were placed in large institutions excluded from the rest of the community and were deprived of the freedom to live with their own families. Public schools could legally deny the admission of handicapped children. Disabled adults were not provided with many benefits and federal aid if they procured a job, nor could they hold a permanent job position. Public buildings and transportation system were not accessible to them. These were only some of the numerous and discriminatory limitations imposed upon their rights. The public, however, did not perceive their prejudice toward the handicapped as a form of discrimination, for it was only associated with race or sex, not physical abilities. After witnessing the success of other civil rights movements, people with disabilities and those who supported them felt it was time to act to permanently amend the Constitution and affirm the rights they are entitled to. In other words, they wanted to remind the country that "all men are created equal" (US Constitution) and that they were people, too. So, local groups, organizations, and social movements that were advocates of the disabled began to protest against the injustice and testify for equal rights. Many were ignored, arrested, and mistreated. But, they continued their work until the legislation was amended for the betterment of the lives of the underrepresented disabled. Through hard work and determination, advocates of the Disability Movement were able to achieve great accomplishments and help disabled citizens gain their much deserved rights. One of the accomplishments of the Disability Movement was the passing of the Handicapped Children Act of 1975. This law declared that all disabled children had a right to free public education and that public schools could not legally turn them away. Before this act was passed, handicapped children could only be home-schooled or were sent to segregated schools with children who had similar disabilities, like the blind and the deaf. Some of them weren't allowed to attend school at all or were completely stripped of the chance to learn because of their incapacities. College students were not offered scholarships or funds for their education. These limitation had deprived millions of disabled children the right to education, which goes against the US law that all children are entitled to free education from grades K-12. This was a form of discrimination, and the Handicapped Children Act had abolished it. In addition to that, more than seventy-eight billions dollars was spent between 1990 to 2000 on US schools to improve the special education system. (Pringle "Schools Failing Children") The act also requires that Individual Education Programs (IEP) be established to fulfill each student's special needs.
ADA
Another accomplishment that had been achieved was the Employment Opportunities for Disabled Americans Act of 1986. Disabled adults were not allowed to keep certain benefits like federal aid from the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) if they acquired an occupational position. This act ensured that they receive general funding and all these benefits, even when they did work. "The more a recipient earned, the less federal money he or she would collect, and his or her federal health insurance would remain intact." ("Disability Rights" ABC-CLIO) It also secured worker's compensation and the advantages of employment. This secured the rights of disabled workers to certain work benefits, another improvement in the Constitution. Ultimately, the most significant amendments of the Disability Movement included the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 because they were the laws that broke the social barrier between the handicapped and the public. These new legislations were similar to the Civil Rights Act, for they officially proclaimed that no disabled person should face any type of discrimination in the community, whether it be at school, work, in public places, or on public transportation. Before this law, schools, homes, public transportation vehicles, and public buildings did not acknowledge the needs of the disabled. "...while African Americans were fighting for the right to sit in the front of the bus, people with disabilities were fighting for the right to get on the bus." (Manders 1) These laws made it a requirement for federal buildings and public transportation systems to be more accessible to the handicapped. For example, wheelchair ramps and automatic doors became an integral part of public buildings and buses. These acts became more prominent in society, and soon, all buildings that ran on federal grant money were made handicapped accessible. Also, curbs and sidewalks were fixed so that mobility became easier for them. Furthermore, the disabled could, now, live with their families instead of large institutions. More public services were offered to them, and their quality of life dramatically improved because of all the new technology that was being produced specifically for their benefit, like automatic wheelchairs and hearing aids. After these laws were passed, people with disabilities had more freedom in many aspects of their lives. The Disability Movement helped people with disabilities gain their civil rights. They became more like people again, rather than just "the handicapped." They faced many hardships before the movement including educational challenges, benefit deprivation, and intense discrimination. People had forgotten that they were also full-pledged citizens of the United States and that they deserved the rights granted to every other citizen. The Disability Movement had changed all that. The disabled could finally live in a home with their families, be active in the community, make their own decisions, and pursue their dreams like everyone else. With the perseverance and hard work of its supporters, this movement had been successful. In conclusion, the Constitution had secured the rights of a minority, and that is, undoubtedly its greatest success.