1 00:00:02,210 --> 00:00:09,045 Hi, my name is Matthew Wangeman. 2 00:00:11,290 --> 00:00:19,234 I teach Disability Studies at Northern Arizona University. 3 00:00:35,970 --> 00:00:38,413 I have been a disability advocate 4 00:00:44,066 --> 00:00:45,590 for over 30 years. 5 00:00:59,107 --> 00:01:11,611 I went to the University of California at Berkeley, 6 00:01:24,424 --> 00:01:30,851 so I have been very lucky in my life. 7 00:01:41,388 --> 00:01:55,767 My first memory of the ADA 8 00:02:17,485 --> 00:02:30,075 was three years after it was passed, 9 00:02:38,348 --> 00:02:42,089 because I was in Berkeley 10 00:03:09,052 --> 00:03:16,356 and Berkeley had stronger laws than the ADA. 11 00:03:29,854 --> 00:03:48,970 So I really did not know or care about the ADA at that time. 12 00:04:12,203 --> 00:04:20,837 And the interesting thing is 13 00:04:28,255 --> 00:04:37,438 in Berkeley and in California 14 00:04:42,448 --> 00:05:30,411 people with disabilities were talking about how the ADA was less strong 15 00:05:34,963 --> 00:05:50,989 for people with disabilities in California and Berkeley. 16 00:05:57,894 --> 00:06:07,465 So when I first learned about the ADA 17 00:06:10,072 --> 00:06:28,781 I was living in an area that had stronger rules and regulations for people with disabilities than the ADA had put in. 18 00:06:32,935 --> 00:06:43,851 So I did not care that much about it at the time. 19 00:07:03,497 --> 00:07:12,675 I think the ADA has helped with accessibility 20 00:07:14,849 --> 00:07:16,673 all around the United States. 21 00:07:24,080 --> 00:07:39,889 That is to me probably one of the most important things that the ADA has accomplished 22 00:08:25,037 --> 00:08:31,546 I really think the ADA is a great civil rights law 23 00:08:33,145 --> 00:09:08,095 and it has put disability on the map in this country. 24 00:09:16,276 --> 00:09:19,334 But for people with significant disabilities 25 00:09:23,821 --> 00:09:31,638 the ADA has not done that much in the grand scheme. 26 00:09:35,503 --> 00:09:44,952 Like employment is a great example. 27 00:09:53,382 --> 00:10:19,800 We are still at the same rate of employment as before the ADA. 28 00:11:28,774 --> 00:11:34,417 I think given where this country is today the ADA could not be stronger. 29 00:11:36,856 --> 00:12:01,426 In fact, given today the ADA would not pass, 30 00:12:04,894 --> 00:12:12,845 and that is sad. 31 00:12:26,882 --> 00:12:45,220 I really think our education system needs to be changed 32 00:13:04,337 --> 00:13:31,280 and even though the ADA really does not cover education, it should 33 00:13:40,355 --> 00:14:16,923 In order to have people with disabilities included in this society 34 00:14:16,939 --> 00:14:35,732 they need to have a quality education 35 00:14:44,705 --> 00:14:54,009 and special education is not cutting it. 36 00:14:57,908 --> 00:15:07,642 So if I had my way, 37 00:15:26,138 --> 00:15:29,495 I would throw out special education 38 00:15:46,275 --> 00:15:51,426 and have one education system for everyone. 39 00:15:55,795 --> 00:16:07,328 It is stupid to have two 40 00:16:13,997 --> 00:16:52,663 and to me it should be illegal to have a separate education system 41 00:16:55,114 --> 00:17:21,734 I would have the ADA cover education as well. 42 00:17:50,316 --> 00:18:13,491 Just to really believe that people with disabilities have the same rights as everyone else 43 00:18:20,397 --> 00:18:32,268 and I'd like to say: 44 00:18:43,716 --> 00:19:02,834 we can have all the laws in the world, 45 00:19:03,042 --> 00:19:30,075 but if people's attitudes do not change, we are just spinning our wheels. 46 00:19:41,670 --> 00:19:46,337 And I use a wheelchair. 47 00:19:57,521 --> 00:20:12,176 And if my wheelchair just spins its wheels I don't seem to go anywhere.