WEBVTT

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Hi, my name is Matthew Wangeman.

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I teach Disability Studies
at Northern Arizona University.

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I have been a disability advocate 
for over 30 years.

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I went to the University of California 
at Berkeley

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so I have been very lucky in my life.

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My first memory of the ADA was 
three years after it was passed

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because I was in Berkeley

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and Berkeley had stronger laws 
than the ADA

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so I really did not know or care 
about the ADA at that time.

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And the interesting thing is
in Berkeley and in California

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people with disabilities were talking 
about how the ADA was less strong

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for people with disabilities 
in California and Berkeley.

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So when I first learned about the ADA
I was living in an area that had

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stronger rules and regulations for people 
with disabilities than the ADA had put in.

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So I did not care that much
about it at the time.

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(Laughter)

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I think the ADA has helped with 
accessibility

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all around the United States.

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That is to me probably one of 
the most important things

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that the ADA has accomplished.

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I really think the ADA is 
a great civil rights law

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and it has put disability 
on the map in this country.

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But for people with 
significant disabilities

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the ADA has not done that much 
in the grand scheme.

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Like employment is a great example.

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We are still at the same rate of 
employment as before the ADA.

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I think given where this country is today
the ADA could not be stronger.

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In fact, given today the ADA 
would not pass, and that is sad.

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I really think our education system needs
to be changed

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and even though the ADA really 
does not cover education it should.

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In order to have people with disabilities 
included in this society

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they need to have a quality education
and special education is not cutting it.

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So if I had my way, 
I would throw out special education

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and have one education system 
for everyone.

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It is stupid to have two 
and to me it should be illegal

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to have a separate education system.

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I would have the ADA
cover education as well.

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Just to really believe that people 
with disabilities have the same rights

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as everyone else and I'd like to say
we can have all the laws in the world

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but if people's attitudes do not change,
we are just spinning our wheels.

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And I use a wheelchair.

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And if my wheelchair just spins its wheels
I don't seem to go anywhere.

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(Laughter)