Americans have a shared vision: occupational therapists can help create the future reality.

On July 26, 1990, President George Bush signed the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) (Public Law 101-336) into law. The ADA guarantees Americans with disabilities civil rights, that is, access to employment, local and state services, transportation, telecommunications, and public accommodations equal to that of Americans without disabilities. Its passage was the result of much effort by ordinary persons with and without disabilities, leaders of advocacy groups for the disabled, and members of both the legislative and executive branches of our government. The purpose of this issue of the American journal ofOccupational Therapy (AjOT), which consists solely of articles on the ADA, is to help occupational therapists and others (a) to obtain a greater understanding of the law itself and how it may be implemented and (b) to identi~' several roles, settings, and functions of occupational therapists either in implementing the ADA or assisting others to comply with it. The articles in this issue have been specifically selected to accomplish that purpose. The six feature articles present a variety of theoretical frameworks to proVide occupational therapists with processes for complying with the ADA and specific knowledge about the law itself. Several roles, settings, and functions of occupational therapists in complying with the ADA are also identified in these articles. The Issue Is department presents two articles in a pointcounterpoint fashion. Nosek (1992) discusses some of the weaknesses and limitations of the ADA, while Frieden (1992) points out its strengths The Brief or New department describes an innovative, interdisciplinary program that was planned and developed by occupational therapists to help others comply with the ADA The Case Report department contains three case studies