Saturday, July 26, marks the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, a landmark civil rights law that prohibits discrimination based on disability.
Signed into law in 1990 and strengthened by the ADA Amendments Act of 2008, the legislation ensures equal access to employment, education, public services and more. At The University of Texas at Arlington, the ADA's core principles are deeply embedded in the institution's history and daily operations.
UT Arlington was ahead of the curve even before the ADA became law, thanks in large part to the activism of Jim Hayes, an alumnus whose 30 years at UTA included serving as head coach of the Movin' Mavs wheelchair basketball team and leading them to seven national championships.
Hayes, who passed away in 2008 at the age of 58, helped launch the Handicapped Students Association while he was a student in the 1970s and led a successful push to make the campus physically accessible—years before federal law required it. Two years after graduating, he helped establish the Office for Students with Disabilities in 1976 and became its first director.
That legacy continues today through the Student Access and Resource Center, which provides students with accommodations ranging from assistive technology to housing to interpreter services, and UTA's ADA office, which ensures faculty and staff receive appropriate workplace accommodations.
UTA also launched a new minor in American Sign Language and Deaf Studies last year – the first of its kind in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Lei-Sea Sky, a student pursuing social work and political science, was appointed the University's first student mentor who is Deaf. Sky works with departments across the University to enhance accessibility in education for students who are Deaf.
This commitment is also reflected in UTA's research, initiatives, programs and student life. A handful of examples include:
New UTA tool aims to transform wheelchair access — UTA civil engineering Professor June Young Park is leading an interdisciplinary project aimed at improving how wheelchair users experience and navigate buildings. Using a new device called WHEELCOM, which attaches to the wheelchair rather than the user, the team will collect data on movement, exertion and environmental factors to inform smarter, more inclusive building design.
UTARI develops the smart seat cushion for wheelchairs — The invention helps wheelchair users avoid pressure ulcers, which can lead to damage to the skin and underlying tissue and cost the U.S. health care system nearly $27 billion a year.
UTA supports neurodivergent students at every stage — Now in its 13th year, UTA's Little Mavs Movement Academy helps children with motor or developmental disabilities build essential life skills in a fun, supportive setting. Led by kinesiology Professor Priscila Tamplain, the program offers free motor coordination assessments and draws families from across the U.S. and beyond. UTA also supports neurodivergent students through the Learning Access Center and research at the Motor Development Lab, which explores how to better diagnose and treat motor challenges often overlooked in autism.
Barriers complicate exercise for disability community — A study led by UTARI research scientist Alexandra Jamieson highlights major barriers people with disabilities face in accessing fitness, including lack of adaptive equipment, trained staff and reliable transportation. To address these challenges, Jamieson and a cross-campus team are developing an adaptive exergame machine that combines exercise with interactive gameplay.
UTA Paralympian: 'This will be a special Games' — UTA's Élodie Tessier represented Team Canada in wheelchair basketball at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, her second Paralympic appearance. A standout with the Lady Movin' Mavs since 2019, Tessier earned her bachelor's degree from UTA in 2023 and her master's in economic data analysis in 2024. Competing in front of family for the first time at this level, she called the experience a dream come true.
UTA hosts 8th annual adaptive sports expo — Last September, UTA hosted the 8th annual Adaptive Sports Expo, bringing dozens of families to the Maverick Activities Center to explore and try more than a dozen adaptive sports. The event, part of the UTSW DFW Adaptive Sports Coalition, offered a supportive space for children and their families to build community and learn about new athletic opportunities.
