The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) turns 20 years old July 26, and one of the nation's 10 regional technical assistance centers, the Northeast ADA Center, is based at the Employment and Disability Institute in Cornell's ILR School.

"The National Network of ADA centers provides information, guidance and training on the Americans with Disabilities Act and is tailored to meet the needs of business, government and individuals at local, regional and national levels," said Erin Sember, technical assistance coordinator of the Northeast ADA Center.

Funded by the U.S. Department of Education's National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, each regional center serves specific states and territories. The Northeast ADA Center serves New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

"We are not an enforcement agency, nor do we investigate complaints," Sember said. "Rather, we are here to be a neutral resource that tries to help employers, businesses, people with disabilities and others to make sense of the ADA and the regulations associated with it."

Through the network's toll-free information line (800-949-4232) and website (http://www.adata.org), "anyone in the country can access their region's ADA center to receive information, education, training and material in a personalized manner to better understand their rights and responsibilities under the ADA," Sember said. "Your regional ADA center is one of the few places where you can call the 800 number and actually get a live person to help you."

She continued, "Our aim, through the phone line, trainings we conduct and other resources we offer, is to further everyone's understanding of the ADA and improve overall disability awareness and inclusiveness."

The federal legislation, Sember said, has changed the way many Americans think about disabilities. "Before the ADA, disability accessibility was typically a reaction in response to a specific situation. If a valued worker needed accommodations due to an injury, for instance, a business owner might react by making the workplace accessible," she said.

The ADA has improved information sharing among organizations and individuals and made employers more proactive in creating accessible environments, Sember said.

"Like everyone else, people with disabilities want to be able to access information and buildings, whether to work, shop, go to school, participate in community activities and so forth," Sember said. "The ADA is helping make that an automatic reality."

Mary Catt is the ILR School's staff writer.