The ADA Turns 36. NEXT Asked Autistic Voices to Reflect on What It Means for the Autism Community.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was signed into law 36 years ago on July 26, 1990. The ADA is designed to prohibit discrimination against individuals with disabilities across employment, public accommodations, transportation, and telecommunications.
We asked members of the NEXT for AUTISM Advisory Board their thoughts on the ADA and what it means for the autism community.
What do people often misunderstand or not know about how the ADA supports autistic people?
Autistic Professional Speaker, Best-Selling Author, Consultant to Netflix Love on the Spectrum U.S.
I think people often misunderstand reasonable accommodations as "special treatment," or assume the ADA primarily supports people with visible or physical disabilities. It's so important for people to remember that it's not about special treatment but leveling the playing field. For autistic people, accommodations might include clear written instructions, advance notice of changes, a quieter workspace, sensory-friendly options, flexible breaks, modifications to the interview process, or alternative ways to communicate. One of my personal favorites is foregoing the interview process for a one-day work trial to show what autistic employees are capable of.
In my work speaking with schools and companies, I often see that people want to be inclusive but may not understand how relatively small changes can remove major barriers, especially if they don't have a personal connection to the disability community. Autistic people just want a chance to succeed, and these reasonable accommodations can help!
CEO/Founder, ACT Soulfully LLC
When people think of the ADA, they usually picture physical access: ramps, elevators, and accessible entrances. But for autistic people, access is often less visible. It looks like clear written directions, predictable routines, reduced sensory distractions, and flexible communication. These accommodations don't lower expectations. Rather, they remove the barriers that keep us from showing what we can actually do.
True access also requires asking before assuming. A common gap is deciding what an autistic person needs without actually listening to their experience. When someone reacts to overwhelming noise, unclear communication, or sudden changes, it may be inaccurately labeled a 'behavior problem' or a lack of professionalism. In reality, it's a signal that the environment itself may be creating the barrier.
Lead Autism Specialist, Special Education Service Agency
I find that people often misunderstand autism as more of a childhood experience, and when they do have an idea of the adult experience, it is sensationalized by media. This results in people thinking the ADA is supposed to be intervening in drastic ways, making including autistic adults look like a huge task. In reality, this can be the case, but most of the time, the accommodations needed are really quite simple and tend to help everyone else out at the table too. One example I have was limiting chit-chat in meetings to before and after the official start times and making a clear announcement when everyone was dismissed. This was WONDERFUL for everyone on the team, but again not the most commonly thought of accommodation.
Global Neurodiversity Advancement Leader
Speaking from my own experience as a neurodivergent individual, I have found that one of the biggest misconceptions is that the ADA only applies when someone needs a major accommodation. In reality, many of the most impactful supports for autistic employees are simple and low-cost that help people succeed. That can be flexibility around communication methods, quieter workspaces, sensory considerations, clearer expectations, written instructions, or social contracts on how we will work together. The ADA isn't about giving autistic people an advantage—it's about removing barriers that were never designed with neurodivergent minds in mind. When organizations focus on inclusion, everyone benefits.
Registered Behavior Technician
Many people don't realize that autism can qualify as a disability under the ADA, even when someone doesn't have obvious support needs. People also often misunderstand that accommodations are not "special treatment"—they are intended to provide equal access and opportunity. Another common misconception is that autistic people must "look disabled" or have severe impairments to receive ADA protections.
Public Health Systems Consultant with Disabilities Expertise
There seems to be a broad misconception that ADA supports are only for people with physical challenges. Autistic people may have needs that are not so easily recognized.
Autistic Social Worker, Sunflower Life Strategies
The ADA was a significant Milestone, in the protection of disabled people, including autistic people, and paved the way for discussions into just how sticky stigmatization and business-as-usual thinking are for determining quality of life for autistic people.
Looking ahead, what changes or additions would you like to see to ensure the ADA better supports autistic individuals?
Dr. Kerry Magro
Autistic Professional Speaker, Best-Selling Author, Consultant to Netflix Love on the Spectrum U.S.
Looking ahead, I would like to see clearer standards and stronger enforcement around sensory and communication accessibility in schools, workplaces, public spaces, healthcare settings, government offices, and digital environments. Educators, employers, healthcare professionals, and other public-facing professionals also need better training so autistic people do not have to continually prove or explain their disability to receive appropriate support. While everyone has to explain why their accommodations are in fact reasonable, the constant need to explain can lead to burnout and a slip in work productivity.
Dr. Nashiah Cirincione-Ulezi
CEO/Founder, ACT Soulfully LLC
Looking ahead, I would like to see sensory and communication access taken just as seriously as physical access. I'd like to see proactive support implemented before someone is already struggling, rather than after. The ADA provides the legal protection, but whether that translates into real access depends entirely on the willingness of all of us to listen and make room for the voices of autistic people with a wide variety of support needs.
John Barrowman
Lead Autism Specialist, Special Education Service Agency
Oh, where do I start and what the ADA could benefit from ... Not sure if I should say enforcement or a really good compassion and education campaign to help people see the many faces and potential contributions of autistic adults. My grant is required to advertise ... which I don't particularly like doing ... but the benefit is that it makes us reach out. The ADA does not have, as far as I know, a component to educate others/employers/workers/ etc on what it entails.
Nat Lyckowski
Global Neurodiversity Advancement Leader
Drawing on my lived experience as a neurodivergent, I'd like to see a broader understanding of accessibility that includes cognitive and sensory accessibility with the same visibility as physical accessibility. Many autistic individuals still face obstacles that aren't immediately obvious, particularly around communication norms, sensory environments, and workplace processes. I would love to see stronger guidance for employers on neuroinclusive design and a shift toward proactive inclusion instead of waiting for individuals to request support. The most effective future for the ADA is one where accessibility is built into the environment from the beginning, making accommodations less about exceptions and more about universal design.
Sabra Townsend
Public Health Systems Consultant with Disabilities Expertise
Understanding that each person with autism has different abilities is the basis for providing needed supports. That mindset shift will allow for the provision of supports that can show long-term benefits for everyone involved. Also, guidance is needed to demonstrate that many supports can be provided at no or low cost and still benefit the autistic person along with everyone else.
Steven Isaacson
Autistic Social Worker, Sunflower Life Strategies
As we look to the future, we must go further. We must make sure that all people with disability, regardless of severity, enjoy the fruits of the knowledge we’ve created, and the experience we’ve gained since the passage of the ADA.
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