Public commenter urges continued ADA education, cites Project SEARCH internships

At a public meeting, a commenter with nearly 30 years of experience said the Americans with Disabilities Act remains essential and called for continued education about the law. The commenter, who did not give a name or formal affiliation in the transcript, said the ADA "creates universal access for everyone."

"I think the ADA is very needed and still to this day, we need to keep educating people about the ADA," the public commenter said. To illustrate, the commenter described placing "a client who was legally blind at a computer job" and providing an oversized screen reader so the words would be larger on the monitor. "Everybody wants her computer," the commenter said, describing how co‑workers sought the accommodated workstation when the employee was not present.

The speaker said accommodations can change workplace culture. "When we started the Project SEARCH program at Alamance Regional Medical Center, they didn't realize the difference that it was gonna make for their employees and their patients by having people with disabilities do internships within the hospital," the public commenter said. "It created a whole new culture that was a positive culture."

Drawing on nearly three decades of experience, the commenter added that the ADA has "improved people with disabilities' lives, and it will continue to improve their lives and allow them to be independent." The commenter urged ongoing efforts to educate the public and employers about accessibility and accommodations.

The transcript does not record a formal vote or action tied to these remarks; the comments were presented as testimony and personal experience during the meeting.