JUSTICE DEPARTMENT ANNOUNCES NEW ADA VIDEOS

WASHINGTON, D.C. - The Justice Department today announced the release of two new videos intended to raise awareness of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and make it easier for businesses to understand and comply with the Act.

The first video, “ADA Signing Ceremony,” documents President George H. W. Bush’s signing the ADA into law on July 26, 1990. The 22-minute video was provided to the Department by the George Bush Presidential Library. It is being re-released on the Internet and on DVD to increase awareness of the ADA in advance of the 15th anniversary of the law’s signing, which will be celebrated on July 26, 2005.

The second film, “Ten Small Business Mistakes,” identifies common mistakes that small businesses make when trying to comply with the ADA. The film runs 13-minutes, featuring statements by store owners expressing their misunderstandings about the ADA, followed by responses from Assistant Attorney General R. Alexander Acosta and other Department employees explaining the law in common sense terms. The film is part of a broader initiative called the ADA Business Connection that gives businesses information needed to succeed in attracting and serving customers with disabilities. The multifaceted project consists of holding meetings with business and disability leaders around the country, creating easy-to-understand ADA compliance materials, and hosting an ADA Business Connection site on the ADA website. It was established by the Justice Department in response to President George W. Bush’s New Freedom Initiative.

The “ADA Signing Ceremony” and “Ten Small Business Mistakes” are both available online and on DVD. Two online versions, for dial-up and high speed access, can be viewed at the Department’s ADA website, www.ada.gov. This is the first streaming video on the ADA site. The DVD version can be ordered free of charge by calling the Department’s toll-free ADA Information Line at 1-800-514-0301 (voice) or 1-800-514-0383 (TTY). All versions have captioning for viewers who are deaf or hard of hearing and audio-description for people who are blind or have low vision.

The Justice Department has an extensive technical assistance program offering free assistance to businesses, governments, and the public. These activities are a key component of the Department’s efforts to secure voluntary compliance by explaining the law’s requirements to those with rights and responsibilities under the ADA.

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