Ithaca Journal, July 22, 2010, Sunday

Ithaca Journal

July 22, 2010, Sunday

Ithaca Journal

Cornell center presses efforts to help disabled

ITHACA -- With the 20th anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act on Monday , the message from government and non-profit officials who deal with disability issues is clear: accessibility has been improved by elevators and curb ramps, but individuals with disabilities still face obstacles in the work force.

Cornell ADA Center Director Wendy Strobel, who deals with ADA implementation on a daily basis, said that while the last 20 years have seen widespread improvements in the area of physical accessibility for people with disabilities, there is still a long way to go when it comes to employment.

"I think that we'll continue to see improvements in the physical environment, in transportation and in public accommodations," Strobel said. "The access part of the ADA has done a good job, but the employment piece is still well behind."

Strobel sees the latest round of amendments to the ADA as an opportunity to improve the rights of employees with disabilities. Many cases have focused on the degree of an individual's disability instead of on whether discrimination took place, according to Strobel.

"A number of Supreme Court cases greatly weakened the law. Oftentimes, people are being told, 'Your disability isn't significant enough,' even though they need accommodations to work," Strobel said.

As a Disability and Business Technical Assistance Center, Cornell's ADA Center offers equal opportunity training and technical assistance on the Americans with Disabilities Act and accessible information technology throughout the region. The ADA Center is a project of Cornell's Employment and Disability Institute, which is part of Cornell's School of Industrial and Labor Relations.

At the New York State Division of Human Rights, Disability Rights Director John Herrion works to enforce New York's Human Rights Law, which now prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities on a state level much like the ADA. He is scheduled to speak at Cornell's ADA Center in August.Herrion also believes that awareness of the ADA and related issues on the national stage has increased awareness of disability and the needs of people with disabilities, but work remains on employment.

"Since the ADA was passed, studies have shown that the unemployment rate remains very high in terms of people with disabilities compared to people without disabilities," Herrion said.