On Sept. 25, the Americans with Disabilities Amendments Act (ADAAA) was signed into law and will be effective begining Jan. 1, 2009. Yes, I know there is an extra “A.” It would sound dumb to say Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act. I didn’t make the acronym. So, what does this amendment to the original ADA mean? Why was it necessary? If you’re thinking “what’s the ADA in the first place?” come and see me and we’ll chat. The original ADA, signed into law in 1990, was the result of many years of persistent advocacy by the disability community, and in particular, the independent living community. Many of the people who were involved are still in the disability “biz” today and were the catalysts for the legislation. In 1972, Congress passed a Rehabilitation Act, which was then vetoed by President Richard Nixon. Now, you have to remember the time period this occurred in. The Vietnam War was just ending and the stage was already set with a number of protests. This