As we approach the 36th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), I’d like to reflect on the impact of this groundbreaking legislation particularly for blind and low vision Americans.
While it has had a positive impact on access to public transportation, braille signage in public buildings, and protection for service animal users, the legislation falls short in some other areas. Reasonable accommodations in employment create both an opportunity and obstacle. Employers who have no experience with blindness can only speculate about the cost of hiring a blind person and generally that mystery math leads to one conclusion: we can’t afford to hire a blind person.
While I’d hate to live in a world where the ADA was never passed, it hasn’t managed to move the needle on unemployment and underemployment of people who are blind or low vision. The ability to work and earn a paycheck is the basis for living an independent life, and a bedrock of the American Dream. Having a job means having access or resources to purchase benefits, saving for something special, living where you want, having a family and engaging as equals with our neighbors.
Blind people continue to be left out of that opportunity at an astounding rate. That’s where BISM comes in. We need to focus every day not only on filling the employment gap, but also on educating employers about the skilled workforce they are leaving behind.
For more of Mike’s thoughts on how BISM bridges the employment and education gaps, read his Op-Ed here: How We Can Improve Blind Employment Rates In Maryland
