| Disability refers to the condition of physical or mental | | | | for legal protection at par with the rest of the |
| impairment that restricts or limits the ability to | | | | population. Legislations and court rulings marked the |
| perform activities in a normal manner using traditional | | | | establishment of civil rights for people with disabilities. |
| methods. Disability can either be congenital or due to | | | | Some of the landmark disability rights legislations such |
| some form of illness or injury. Disability can either be | | | | as Federal Rehabilitation Act were passed during the |
| a temporary, correctable condition or permanent, | | | | 1970s and 1980s. |
| unchangeable condition. | | | | The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 is |
| Physical disabilities include mobility impairment such as | | | | considered a milestone in the movement for equal |
| paralysis, cerebral palsy, and muscular dystrophy; | | | | rights for people with disabilities. This legislation |
| visual impairment such as low vision, blindness, and | | | | prohibits discrimination against people with mental or |
| color blindness; and hearing impairment. Diseases | | | | physical impairments in employment, telecom, |
| including Diabetes, Cancer, and AIDS and | | | | transport, and public amenities. Supreme Court rulings |
| incapacitation due to injuries such as spinal cord injury | | | | in the late 1990s have defined the conditions |
| are also categorized as physical disabilities. Conditions | | | | considered a disability under the Americans with |
| such as a learning disability, depression, schizophrenia, | | | | Disability Act. People infected with HIV are |
| a phobia, and an anxiety disorder are categorized as | | | | considered disabled, whereas people with correctable |
| mental disabilities. Developmental disabilities or | | | | disabilities such as vision problems are no longer under |
| cognitive impairments include conditions such as | | | | the purview of protection offered by Americans with |
| Autism, Dyslexia, and Down Syndrome. | | | | Disability Act. |
| In the United States, support or services for people | | | | The disability rights movement has come a long way |
| with disabilities provided through legislation were very | | | | by achieving significant victories in terms of legislation |
| limited. Things started to change for the better in the | | | | and government support for people with disabilities. |
| 1970s due to the efforts of people with disabilities | | | | |