What Is IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act)?
The federal law that ensures students with disabilities receive a free appropriate public education (FAPE) through special education and related services.
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is the federal law that governs special education in the United States. Originally enacted in 1975 as the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, IDEA ensures that all students with disabilities receive a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE).
IDEA covers 13 disability categories: autism, deaf-blindness, deafness, emotional disturbance, hearing impairment, intellectual disability, multiple disabilities, orthopedic impairment, other health impairment, specific learning disability, speech or language impairment, traumatic brain injury, and visual impairment.
Key provisions of IDEA include the right to an IEP, the right to evaluation, parent participation rights, procedural safeguards, transition planning (starting at age 16), and requirements for least restrictive environment. IDEA is reauthorized periodically — the most recent reauthorization was in 2004.
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Try the IEP Goal GeneratorRelated Terms
IEP (Individualized Education Program)
A legally binding document that outlines specialized instruction, goals, and services for a student with a disability under IDEA.
504 Plan
A plan that provides accommodations for students with disabilities to access general education, protected under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.
FBA (Functional Behavior Assessment)
A process for identifying the underlying function or purpose of a student's challenging behavior to develop effective interventions.
Accommodations
Changes to how a student accesses or demonstrates learning without altering the content or expectations. The standard stays the same; the path changes.
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