This year, as Fello celebrates 65 years of supporting people with disabilities and building inclusive communities, we’re reflecting on the history of the disability rights movement and the milestones that helped shape the work we do today.

The 1970s marked a turning point for disability rights. Effective advocacy led to landmark legislation. People with disabilities were finding their voice in greater numbers. Community-based housing was expanding. The future pointed toward greater inclusion. 

But progress isn’t always linear. The 1980s brought new challenges—requiring advocates to protect what they’d achieved while continuing to push for expanded rights and access.

Advocates didn’t step back. They continued the work—defending important protections and pushing for the changes people needed to live more independently in their communities. 

Responding to Early Challenges 

A shift in federal priorities tested the disability rights movement early in the new decade. 

The Reagan administration tightened disability reviews for Social Security benefits, sending termination notices to nearly half a million recipients. Roughly 200,000 people successfully appealed. Public outcry moved Congress to pass the Social Security Disability Reform Act of 1984, raising the standard for termination and strengthening protections during the appeals process. 

At the same time, existing legislation faced new threats. The administration proposed regulatory changes that would weaken the Education for All Handicapped Children Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act—two of the most important disability rights laws of the previous decade.

Parents, self-advocates, and allies mobilized. A nationwide letter-writing campaign sent more than 40,000 messages to the White House. By 1984, those efforts had made an impact—proposed rollbacks on both laws were abandoned. 

The disability rights movement was growing stronger—and harder to ignore. 

Legislative Victories Continue 

While advocates worked to protect existing rights, they also continued to push for new opportunities that would allow people with disabilities to fully participate in community life. 

In 1984, the Voting Accessibility for the Elderly and Handicapped Act helped reduce barriers to voting by requiring greater physical accessibility, making it easier for people with disabilities to exercise their right to vote. Decades later, that right still matters. At Fello, members of Living Boldly, our self-advocacy group, learn to use voting machines, supporting confident, informed participation in the democratic process.

Housing also remained a priority. The Fair Housing Amendments Act of 1988 extended protections to people with disabilities—reinforcing the idea that everyone deserves a place in the community and supporting the broader shift toward independent living.  

At the same time, legislation also addressed conditions in institutions. The Civil Rights of Institutionalized Persons Act (CRIPA), passed in 1980, gave the Department of Justice the power to investigate abuse and neglect in public institutions. In the years that followed, facilities like the Rosewood Center in Maryland came under increased scrutiny for failing to provide adequate care. Rosewood’s population would continue to decline as community-based living alternatives grew. 

These changes mattered because they made everyday life more accessible, giving people greater access to housing, community, and the ability to make their own choices about how they live.  

Progress on a Local Level 

The national energy was only part of the story. Closer to home, Fello was advancing this work in meaningful ways—creating new pathways for people with disabilities to live more fully in their communities. 

In 1981, we opened Langton Green, increasing access to community-based housing and advancing the shift away from institutional living. It was part of a broader commitment to creating places where people could live with independence, stability, and connection. 

As the need for community-based supports increased, Fello expanded. In 1980, we launched a summer vacation program—creating opportunities for people to have new experiences, strengthen relationships, and be part of the community in different ways.  

That focus on opportunity and inclusion continued in 1982, when we co-sponsored College for Living with Anne Arundel Community College, opening doors to learning and personal growth beyond traditional settings. 

By 1987, as the Developmental Disability Administration (DDA) increased support for community-based services, Fello broadened its family and individual support services, paving the way for what would become our Children, Youth & Their Families program—helping families live more independently and build lives rooted in the community. 

National advocates and local organizations like Fello were more determined than ever. Together, they were laying the groundwork for a transformation that was just around the corner. 

The Beginnings of the ADA 

Amid the victories and setbacks of the 1980s, one of the movement’s greatest achievements quietly took shape—the foundation for the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). 

In 1986, the National Council on the Handicapped released Toward Independence, a report that outlined the barriers people with disabilities faced and made a clear case for comprehensive civil rights protections. In 1988, the Council published a follow-up report, On the Threshold of Independence, which included a draft of what would help shape the ADA. 

These reports were part of a broader push for civil rights legislation, highlighting the gap between existing laws and everyday experiences. The ADA was first introduced in 1988 and reintroduced in 1989, gaining momentum as advocates across the country rallied behind it. 

After years of effort, the ADA was signed into law in 1990, securing civil rights protections that the movement had fought decades to achieve. It was a victory built on generations of advocacy, and proof that a movement determined enough can change everything. 

The Movement Moves Forward 

The 1980s were a decade of resilience and progress for the disability rights movement. 

The decade brought challenges, but each one reinforced what advocates already knew: lasting progress requires persistence, and communities grow stronger when people continue to speak up, even in the face of setbacks.

By the end of the 1980s, the movement’s momentum was undeniable—setting the stage for one of the most defining decades in disability rights history.

Next in the series: The 1990s—the impact of the ADA, the expansion of education rights with IDEA, and a landmark Supreme Court decision that affirmed the right of people with disabilities to live in their communities.