Great Lakes ADA Center

Call Directions Website

Great Lakes ADA Center The Great Lakes ADA Center provides information, guidance & training on the ADA. The Great Lakes ADA Center is a member of the ADA National Network.

The ADA National Network consists of ten Regional ADA National Network Centers located throughout the United States that provide personalized, local assistance to ensure that the ADA is implemented wherever possible. We are not an enforcement or regulatory agency, but a helpful resource supporting the ADA’s mission to “make it possible for everyone with a disability to live a life of freedom and equality.”

We aim to create a safe space for our community to discuss ADA rights and responsibilities. To maintain a respectful dialogue, please refrain from social media comments that are hateful, defamatory, discriminatory, personal attacks, profanity, and aggressive behavior. Please review our social media guidelines: bit.ly/guidelines-sm.

Did you know that different colored candy buckets can signify that a child has a disability? Of course, parents and guar...
10/26/2026

Did you know that different colored candy buckets can signify that a child has a disability? Of course, parents and guardians are not required to share their child's disability while out trick-or-treating, but these buckets can be helpful in spreading awareness about a child's needs.

This Halloween, we invite you to create an inclusive experience for all kids by doing things like offering non-food treats, allowing a child with communication limitations to get their candy without saying "Trick-or-Treat", and turning off flashing decorations for kids with light-triggered epilepsy.

Learn more:
Teal Pumpkin Project: bit.ly/teal-pumpkin-pr
Purple Pumpkin Project: bit.ly/purple-pumpkin
Blue Pumpkin (National Autism Association): bit.ly/blue-pumpkin-bucket

Every month, we highlight a topic as part of our Q&A of the Month.This month's question is:Can employers require employe...
10/25/2026

Every month, we highlight a topic as part of our Q&A of the Month.

This month's question is:
Can employers require employees with disabilities to meet specific quotas or production standards?

Answer:
Yes. Under the ADA, employers are not required to modify or lower production standards as a form of accommodation. Employees, with or without disabilities, can be expected to complete a certain number of cases, sales, calls, bookings, or other work-related activities within a given timeframe. However, employees with disabilities may need reasonable accommodations to meet these standards:

Example: An employer eliminates or reassigns certain marginal functions to allow an employee with a disability to complete a required amount of cases within a given timeframe. If an employer has quotas, targets, or other work-related production standards, these must be enforced equally, not just against employees with accommodations or known disabilities.

Example: Employees are expected to meet a quarterly sales quota and are evaluated on this every three months. However, a disabled employee with a work accommodation is being evaluated monthly and is penalized every time they don't meet a monthly sales quota, which no one else in their role must meet. This is discriminatory as employees without known disabilities or accommodations are only being evaluated quarterly, while the disabled employee is being held to a different standard.

Learn more: bit.ly/4ixCSau

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), a U.S. government agency that regulates communications, including phone, te...
10/24/2026

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), a U.S. government agency that regulates communications, including phone, television, radio, and internet services, plans to consider a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on modernizing accessibility rules for communications technology. The goal is to keep pace with evolving technology and promote innovation that benefits the disability community.

Learn more at its upcoming open meeting.

Date: October 29, 2026
Time: 10:30 a.m. Eastern Time
Livestream: FCC.gov/live

Draft NPRM: bit.ly/4eHNEbR

Invisible Disabilities Awareness Week runs from October 18 to 24, 2026. While some disabilities are visible, many are no...
10/23/2026

Invisible Disabilities Awareness Week runs from October 18 to 24, 2026. While some disabilities are visible, many are non-apparent, meaning they are not immediately apparent to others. These disabilities can be temporary, situational, or permanent.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) does not provide a specific list of conditions that qualify as disabilities. Under the ADA, “disability” is a legal term rather than a medical one. The ADA broadly defines a person with a disability as someone who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities.

The definition also includes people with a record of such an impairment and people who are regarded as having such an impairment. The ADA also makes it unlawful to discriminate against a person based on that person’s association with a person with a disability.

Learn more: bit.ly/4jBw7FQ

10/22/2026

Register now for the 2026 Fall ADA Coordinator Conference happening online November 16-18!

This 3-day online training offers sessions covering different topics related to the Americans with Disabilities Act. ASL Interpreters and Real-Time Captioning (CART) will be provided for ALL sessions. Keep in mind, membership in the ADA Coordinator Certification program is NOT required to attend, but this is a great way to earn your foundation, optional, and elective credits toward your certification!

But we're not done yet! You can also register for a full day of learning on Wednesday, November 18 and earn an ADACC Advanced Certificate on Website Accessibility.

To learn more and to register, visit https://bit.ly/2026FallADACC

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) published its 2026 report to Congress on the accessibility of communications...
10/21/2026

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) published its 2026 report to Congress on the accessibility of communications technology for people with disabilities. The report assesses how well the industry is meeting federal accessibility requirements under the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA) for phone services and equipment, advanced communications services such as electronic messaging and video conferencing, and internet browsers built into mobile phones.

The report finds that communications technology is making progress in accessibility, but people with disabilities continue to encounter barriers, including:

- Inaccessible screen-shared content, inconsistent screen-reader support, captions that are difficult to find or activate, and touchscreens that lack accessible controls.

- Security verification processes, including multi-factor authentication (MFA), that prevent people from accessing accounts or paying bills. Inaccessible instructions and gaps in customer service training create additional obstacles.

- AI-powered tools that offer new possibilities, but inaccurate captions and speech recognition create barriers, particularly for people with speech disabilities.

- Barriers to joining video meetings, communicating in video games, and accessing emergency services.

Having an accessibility feature is not enough if people cannot find it, activate it, or use it reliably. Disability advocates called for meaningful involvement of people with disabilities throughout product design, testing, updates, and maintenance.

Read the full report: bit.ly/4yFDCiN

There’s still time to register for the 2026 ADA Indiana Fall Conference, hosted by our affiliate, ADA-Indiana!Join the c...
10/21/2026

There’s still time to register for the 2026 ADA Indiana Fall Conference, hosted by our affiliate, ADA-Indiana!

Join the conversation on ADA compliance and accessibility across Indiana through a full day of practical learning, expert guidance, and networking.

Date: Tuesday, October 27, 2026
Location: Indiana Government Center, South
Registration: bit.ly/ada-indiana

Whether you are an ADA Coordinator, human resources professional, municipal leader,
supervisor, parks and recreation professional, public works employee, emergency
management professional, or anyone responsible for ensuring equal access, the
conference will provide valuable tools and strategies you can immediately apply within
your organization.

Learn more about the schedule and speakers: bit.ly/4h7eJqH

October is Learning Disabilities Awareness Month. Ensuring that individuals with learning disabilities have the same opp...
10/20/2026

October is Learning Disabilities Awareness Month. Ensuring that individuals with learning disabilities have the same opportunities as others extends beyond educational settings. People with learning disabilities are protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in various areas of life, including employment.

The ADA requires covered employers to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified employees with disabilities, unless doing so would cause undue hardship. These accommodations can help employees perform the essential functions of their jobs.

Learn how the ADA protects individuals with learning disabilities in the workplace and explore examples of reasonable accommodations for learning disabilities.

Link: bit.ly/3lOMyRc

Stay informed on all things ADA! Join the Great Lakes ADA Center's mailing lists to receive the latest news, webinars, a...
10/18/2026

Stay informed on all things ADA! Join the Great Lakes ADA Center's mailing lists to receive the latest news, webinars, and resources on disability and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Choose from our four listservs: the Great Lakes Chronicle Newsletter, the ADA Monthly Webinars Listserv, the Great Lakes Listserv, and our Region 5 Latino Outreach Listserv, which provides ADA information and resources for Spanish speakers.

Subscribe today at: bit.ly/join-listserv-now

Address

1640 W Roosevelt Road, Rm 405
Chicago, IL
60608

Telephone

+18009494232

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Great Lakes ADA Center posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category