Disabilities Covered by ADA
The ADA defines an individual with a disability as a person who has a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities, has a record of such impairment, or is regarded as having such an impairment.
People with a mental or physical impairment that substantially limits a life activity. This applies to people who have substantial impairments limiting major life activity such as seeing, hearing, speaking, walking, breathing, performing manual tasks, learning, caring for oneself and working. Examples include mental retardation, mental illness, paralysis, visual impairment, anatomical losses affecting a major body system, diseases such as cancer, AIDS and learning disorders.
People with past record of impairments. This part of the definition covers for example; someone with a history of cancer that is currently in remission, or a person with a record of mental illness. This also includes recovered alcoholics or drug addicts and people undergoing rehabilitation who are no longer using illegal drugs. People currently engaged in illegal drugs are not protected.
People regarded as having an impairment. This part of the definition protects individuals who are treated by others as though they have a substantially limiting disability; even though they may not have such an impairment. An example would be a person with controlled high blood pressure or a severe disfigurement.