Development of a Measure of Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Awareness

It is unclear whether the large number of ADA complaints being filed stem from intentional discrimination against the disabled or from a lack of knowledge of the law on the part of employers, those affected, and the general public. Almost no literature exists that empirically addresses the state of ADA knowledge. The present research developed a measure of ADA awareness. The scale was supported by results of a factor analysis. Coefficient alpha reliability was .80. Application of such a scale may be useful in discerning how much is known about the ADA so that appropriate actions may be taken to increase compliance. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is one of the most important pieces of employment legislation passed in this decade. O'Keefe summarized literature suggesting that thirty-five million Americans have disabilities that interfere with life activities [1]. Of those who are severely and chronically impaired, 5.8 million are of working age—between twenty-one and sixty-four years old. Two-thirds of disabled persons between the ages of sixteen and sixty-five are currently not working, although 65 percent say they would work if given the chance. Of those who are employed, their earnings are 30 to 70 percent of their nondisabled counterparts. Rates of unemployment are much higher for the disabled regardless of gender or educational level [2]. In addition to the tremendous numbers of employees potentially affected by the law, employers with as few as fifteen employers are subject to its provisions [3]. Although much has been published © 1997, Baywood Publishing Co., Inc. 71 doi: 10.2190/AWAT-MTHF-L429-3UHW http://baywood.com 72 / FUSILIER AND GULLETT explaining the ADA (e.g., [4-6]), little is known about the extent of the public's awareness and knowledge of this law. More specifically, it is far from clear that either the majority of employers or those protected by the ADA are aware of their rights and obligations. Because Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (as amended) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 are arguably the most influential guides to the ADA's construction, much precedent is available for understanding the law, even if tentatively at this relatively early date. Drawing from these background sources as well as the law itself, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) guidelines have set the stage for the interpretation and application of the ADA's provisions. Court rulings on various aspects of the law are also beginning to emerge. On the basis of previous literature, it might be inferred that knowledge of the law is not extensive. Results of a 1993 survey suggest that only 14 percent of firms described themselves as familiar with the ADA [7]. This lack of familiarity is further evidenced by the many ADA training programs that have been developed [8]. Also, the Idea Bank of Santa Barbara, CA has published a quiz to heighten disability awareness [9]. The apparent demand for such items suggests that there is a need for more knowledge in this area. This deficit may, in part, account for the prevalent discrimination against the disabled [1]. For the law to be effective, the general public, employers, and those protected by the ADA need more extensive knowledge of it. The actual state of awareness of these groups is, however, unclear. PURPOSE OF THE STUDY The intent of this research is to develop and evaluate a measure of ADA awareness. This instrument addresses the general provisions of the law, to whom the law applies, and reasonable accommodation. Satcher and Hendren constructed a measure of acceptance of the ADA [10]. However, before the law can be accepted or rejected, an awareness of its existence and content is necessary. The measure developed in the present study will complement that of the previous authors.