When talking about special education, many people may not realize the long road that was taken to get to where we are today. Many laws had to be passed in order for people with disabilities to have the equal opportunities in education that we see today.
Here is a breakdown of the history of the federal laws for the education of diverse learners.
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965 helps low income families access high-quality education programs. In addition, ESEA makes free and reduced lunches accessible to low income families and provides disadvantaged communities with additional teachers.
The Vocational Rehabilitation Act (VRA) of 1973 defines appropriate education and a handicapped person; it also prohibits discrimination against students with disabilities in federally funded programs.
The Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EAHCA) of 1975 is known as the mainstreaming law. This law requires states to provide free and appropriate public education for children with disabilities ages 5 through 18. This law requires that students in special education have Individualized Education Programs (IEP). EAHCA defines least restrictive environment.
The Amendments to the Education of the Handicapped Act of 1986 extends free and appropriate education to children 3 to 5 years of age. The amendments also establish early intervention programs for infants and toddlers with disabilities, from birth to 2 years of age.
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in the private sector and protects equal opportunity employment and public services. In addition this law defines disability to include people with AIDS.
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1990 renames and replaces EAHCA. This law establishes “people first” language when referring to people with disabilities. It also extends special education services to include social work, assistive technology and rehabilitation services. This law adds two new categories of disability: traumatic brain injury and autism. In addition, this law requires states to provide bilingual education programs to students with disabilities and to educate students for transition to employment. It requires individualized transition programs for students with disabilities by age 16.
The Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) of 1997 requires that students with disabilities receive services even if they have been expelled from school. It also extends the use of the developmental delay category for students up to age 9. This law also requires a general education teacher to be a member of the IEP team. In addition it requires students with disabilities to take part in statewide and districtwide assessments. This law limits the conditions under which attorneys can collect fees under IDEA.
The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001 aims to improve the performance of elementary and secondary schools by increasing school, district and state accountability for all students. This law provides more flexibility in how states use federal funds (as long as standards for accountability are met). It also offers school choice to students enrolled in failing schools and implements early reading interventions.
Vaughn, Sharon. Teaching exceptional, diverse, and at-risk students in the general education classroom. Boston: Pearson Allyn & Bacon, 2007. Print.
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