U.S. Americans with Disabilities Act Training of Trainers Model

Historical photo shows black and white images of people with disabilities holding signs at a rally with messages such as "No More Negotiating, Sign 504"
  • The Accomplishment

  • What Worked

  • About the Author

During the two year period after the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was passed in 1990, two federal agencies came together to fund trainings led by and for people with disabilities, on the implementation of the new law. The U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) funded a series of Trainings of Trainers. Four hundred people with disabilities across the U.S.A. were initially trained. Each trainee committed to training at least 20 other advocates, as well as members of the business community, in their geographic region or state.

People with disabilities were empowered by the trainings to exercise their rights, and businesses and community members learned how to implement the law to include people with disabilities.