Glossary
The following terms relating to the ADA are used in this module:
accommodation
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Americans with Disabilities Act; this federal law makes it illegal for private employers, state and local governments, employment agencies, labor organizations, and labor- management committees, including any business with 15 or more employees, to discriminate against people with disabilities; provides comprehensive federal civil rights protection for people with disabilities.
ADA coordinator
person responsible for reviewing requests to determine if individuals are eligible for accommodations and/or services; meeting with eligible individuals and their supervisors to determine appropriate accommodations; and referring individuals who are ineligible under the ADA to other community resources, if known.
text captions that enable persons with hearing impairments to read the audio component of a video presentation; closed captions can usually be turned on or off at the discretion of the viewer.
under the ADA, a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, e.g., caring for oneself, walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, working, performing manual tasks, or learning; a record or history of a substantially limiting physical or mental impairment; or being regarded as having a substantially limiting physical or mental impairment.
unequal and unlawful treatment based upon race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or sexual orientation.
EO/AA non-discrimination statement
an employer's statement regarding non-discrimination, as mandated by federal and/or state law and its own policies. For example, see NC State's EO/AA non-discrimination statement.
essential functions
the fundamental job duties of a position of employment; the position exists to perform these functions. Typically there are limited numbers of employees available to perform this function, the function is specialized, and it is vital to the position.
people-first language
language emphasizing people rather than their disabilities. For example, "people with disabilities" instead of "the disabled" or "the student with blindness" rather than "the blind student."
qualified individual with a disability
someone with a disability who meets the skill, experience, education, or other job- or academic-related requirements of a position held or desired, and who, with or without reasonable accommodation, can perform the essential functions of the job or course of study or meet the eligibility requirements of the program or benefit; a person who qualifies as having a disability under the ADA.
someone with a disability who meets the skill, experience, education, or other job- or academic-related requirements of a position held or desired, and who, with or without reasonable accommodation, can perform the essential functions of the job or course of study or meet the eligibility requirements of the program or benefit; a person who qualifies as having a disability under the ADA.
Rehabilitation Act of 1973
groundwork legislation for the ADA; its Section 504 is a law that protects qualified individuals from discrimination based on their disabilities. The nondiscrimination requirements of the law apply to employers and organizations that receive financial assistance from any federal department or agency.
tagline
a statement pertaining to accommodations for persons with disabilities that must be included in advertising materials for employment, services, and programs.
undue hardship
an action requiring significant difficulty or expense; an action that is unduly costly; or one that will fundamentally alter the nature of a program, service, or activity.
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