Fact · Accessibility and health
ADA.gov defines a person with a disability as someone who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, has a history or record of such an impairment, or is perceived by others as having one.
Checked against its source on October 16, 2026
In the source's own words
“A person with a disability is someone who: has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, has a history or record of such an impairment (such as cancer that is in remission), or is perceived by others as having such an impairment”
Introduction to the Americans with Disabilities Act, U.S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division (ADA.gov), n.d., Section "The ADA Protects People with Disabilities".
Open the original- What it measures
- The same page says "substantially limits" is interpreted broadly and is not meant to be a demanding standard. Conditions that make typing hard, such as repetitive strain injuries, or that affect writing, such as some learning disabilities, are assessed against this definition case by case.
- What it does not show
- Whether a particular person meets the definition depends on the facts. The page is a public summary; the statute and EEOC regulations set the legal test.