vimeo.com/.../436966585

Hi, my name is Matthew Wangeman.

I teach Disability Studies
at Northern Arizona University.

I have been a disability advocate

for over 30 years.

I went to the University of California
at Berkeley,

so I have been very lucky in my life.

My first memory of the ADA

was three years after it was passed,

because I was in Berkeley

and Berkeley had stronger laws
than the ADA.

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

And the interesting thing is

in Berkeley and California

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

for people with disabilities
in California and Berkeley.

So when I first learned about the ADA

I was living in an area that had stronger rules and regulations than the ADA had put in

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

(Laughter)

I think the ADA has helped with
accessibility

all around the United States.

That is to me probably one of
the most important things the ADA has accomplished

I really think the ADA is
a great civil rights law

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

But for people with
significant disabilities

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

Like employment is a great example.

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

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

In fact, given today the ADA
would not pass,

and that is sad.

I really think our education system needs
to be changed

and even though the ADA really
does not cover education,

it should.

In order to have people with disabilities
included in this society

they need to have a quality education

and special education is not cutting it.

So if I had my way,

I would throw out special education

and have one education system
for everyone.

It is stupid to have two

and to me it should be illegal to have a separate education system

I would have the ADA
cover education as well.

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

as everyone else and I'd like to say:

we can have all the laws in the world,

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

And I use a wheelchair.

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

(Laughter)