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Parts of Individual Disability Education Act

Dakota State University
Danita VanRegenmorter
November 21, 2014

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Abstract
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) special designed instruction to
meet the child with disability unique needs. This instruction has adaptive material appropriate for
eligible students, so that the child can meet educational standards. IDEA has been impacting
students with disabilities in many ways through the six principles include: zero reject, free
appropriate public education, nondiscriminatory evaluation, least restrictive environment,
procedural safeguards and parent participation. It requires school districts to provide free
appropriate public education (FAPE) to any student with disabilities. This gives students with
disabilities to have equal chance at an education. These principles of IDEA, helps teachers find
ways to better educate all students especially ones with a disability. There are many categories of
different disabilities which can make it very difficult to decide how to teach that particular
student. This is where IDEA comes very useful to teachers. Students with disabilities should
receive an education, just like a person without disabilities. The education should be appropriate
for every student so they succeed in what every dream they have for the future. Even severely
disabled students can be contributors in their community even hold jobs. Educators are
continuing to make improvements in educating students with disabilities through the IDEA act.

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Parts of Individual Disability Education Act
No parent wants their child to struggle in school or have a disability, yet they do happen
which can be hard for a parent to grasp the idea of this happening to their child. As a parent you
want what is best for your child. They also want their child to have an appropriate education so
that they can have a fulfilling life. This is where individual disability education act (IDEA)
becomes very important in the family's life. IDEA is the United States federal law that controls
how states provide special education to over 6 million children with disabilities from the age 6 to
21. (Giuliani, G. 2012)
People might not know how a disability is defined. The major categories that Mcloughlin
stated exist include: vision impairments, hearing impairments, autism, learning disabilities (LD),
emotional disturbances (ED), speech impairments, and other health impairments (OHI) States
many disabilities are not visible; therefore, it is not possible to look at a person and to tell if the
person has a disability or whether the disability is severe. (Smart ,J. 2011) Approximately 9% of
all school- aged students are served under IDEA. (Bakken, J. 2013) Nearly 45% of these
individual have learning disabilities. LD are considered to have a mild form of disabilities
compared to other disabilities. This can cause a misconstruction on the impact it has on the child.
Learning disability can lead to serious problems in academic and social- behavior. This can lead
to the child can have feelings of isolation, shame, and painful memories of school experience.
Students with learning disabilities drop out of school at a high rate. (Bakken, J. 2013) A student
with LD can succeed if they receive special instruction and support programs that are they are
under IDEA. If the student with learning disabilities can succeed in their classes, then they would
feel better about themselves and they would not drop out of school. Obiakor, Bakken, and

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Rotatori explains why it is important to stay in school. This passage is by Chief Justice Earl
Warren that goes as follows:
Today education is perhaps the most important function of state and local
governments. Compulsory school attendance laws and the great expenditures for education both
demonstrate our recognition of the importance of education to our democratic society. It is
required in the performance of our most basic public responsibilities, even service in the armed
forces. It is the very foundation of good citizenship. Today it is a principle instrument in
awakening the child to cultural values, in preparing him/her for later professional training, and in
helping to adjust normally to his/her environment. In these days, it is doubtful that any child may
reasonably be expected to succeed in life if he/she is denied the opportunity of an education.
Such an opportunity, where the state has undertaken to provide it, is a right that must be made
available to all on equal terms (p. 27).
Students with disabilities can have a very important role in society if they are educated
and have a high self-worth of themselves. With an education, more student with disabilities
could learn enough to keep a job. Why wouldnt you give people with special needs the
opportunity to do something fulfilling with their life. It may take more time and effort to train
them. They can do a good job on their task, maybe give a bigger effort than those considered
normal.
No child should be denied an education due to their race or mental capabilities. The first
principle of IDEA is the zero reject which is meaningful to students with disabilities. Zero
rejection makes school districts to locate, identify, and provide special education services to all
students eligible for special education services. (Bakken, J. 2013) This policy is implemented
through the requirements for a free appropriate public education (FAPE), available to all children

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with disabilities from birth through twenty-one years of age. School districts find students with
disabilities that are not served at all or not served enough (Obiakor,Bakken,& Rotatori, 2011).
Finding these students, educators are ensuring that their education is being offered to these
students. The students parents have the right to participate in the development of his or her
special education program and the student IEP. In Timothy W. v. Rochester School district
(1989), the school district stated that Timothy W. was incapable of benefiting from an education;
therefor he didnt need to provide special education. The court ruled that all handicapped
children should not be rejected, regardless of the severity of their handicap.
Another principle is Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE).School operating federal
funded programs must provide education and related services free of charge to the students and
their parents or guardians. (Giuliani, G. 2012)This is not limited to fees that are equally imposed
on students who are non-disabled and their parents or guardians. FAPE requires educators to
make Individual Education Plans (IEP). An IEP lists goals for a student, along with their
strengths and weaknesses. When students become old enough to understand what they can
improve on their education, they should have input on their IEP. Educators can help students
with disabilities by giving goals for the students to reach though an IEP. Parents and teachers
communication is also essential to guarantee their child is being given the FAPE.
Students have many differences in cultures. Nondiscriminatory evaluation is important
for educators to use in their classrooms. Under IDEA minority children and who are English
language learners should be assessed in their own native language or appropriate mode of
communication. (Bakken, J. 2013) In defining a childs level of language ability in the five
stages of second language accusations (Krashen & Terrell, 1983) should be taken to
consideration. The results for the test can be determined by differences in two different tests. If

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the tests of language proficiency scores are equal, then the assessment should be conducted in
both languages. If scores are lower in English than the dominate language should be tested in
dominate language. If the student has a higher score in English then dominate language than they
should be tested in English. But if the child scores less than level four in both languages, should
be done in both languages. The test will prove language dominance of special education.
(Bakken, J. 2013) The test would be an inaccurate result for teachers to give a test a student who
did not even understand the language.
Least Restrictive environment (LRE) is another component to the IDEA act. The
principle of LRE entails that students with disabilities are educated as much as possible with
their peers who do not have a disability. (Omi, Y. 2013 p.306) Children with disabilities in
public and private institutions are educated with children who dont have a disability. Removal
of children with disabilities from a regular classroom only occurs when the severity of the
disability is seen with no improvement in education with the help of aids and services cannot be
reached adequately. (Bakken, J. 2013) Members of the students IEP team determine what
continuum of LRE is best for the child. The team has to decide whether to put them in a general
classroom, which is the least restrictive environment or be placed in an institutional setting or
hospital which is the most restrictive environment. Approximately fifty-four percent of students
in special education spend less than twenty-one percent of the day outside of the general
classroom. (Okibakor, Bakken, & Rotatori 2011) Special education services offered under LRE
are receiving more funding to help students.
Parents play a major role in their childs education. They want to be involved in their
childs education. Through procedural safeguards and parent participation, parents become
involved in their childs education by helping develop their childs IEP. Caregivers or parents

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primary responsibility is to teach different ways to change aggression. Early in the childs life a
child can obtain unlearned aggressive behavior in their daily interactions. (Omi, Y. 2013) They
also have a major role by continuing their education at home. This will help the child to succeed
in school because their learning is going just beyond the classroom. Parents and teachers also
need to have good communication skills to guarantee their child is receiving the FAPE. Under
safeguards, parents have the right to a due process which is a complaint about the school to a
judge to determine if the school was not providing appropriate accommodations for the child.
This is a way to guarantee the parents rights. Parents now have the right to sue school districts,
if the school district is not providing the student with the right accommodations or services
(Bowman & Jaeger, 2004). Congress assisted in the decision that IDEA would help with
criticisms that occurred from parents and the school district on placing their child in the
appropriate environment (Okibakor, Bakken,& Rotatori, 2011). This can lead parents and
teachers to come to an agreement on the childs education and get past the disagreements.
Lacking IDEA and laws dealing with students with disabilities, the potential of all
students could not be reached. IDEA assures students with disabilities are getting a better
education, having their lives affected in a more progressive way, and educators roles are more
clearly defined. People can adjust and make modifications in their lives for an individual living
with disabilities. Enhancements for children with disabilities have improved over the years and
now it can only get enhanced. A person with disabilities is similar to any other student than they
are different.

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References
Bakken, J. (2013). Learning disabilities practice concerns and students with LD. Bingley, U.K.:
Emerald.
Giuliani, G. (2012). The comprehensive guide to special education law over 400 frequently
asked questions and answers every educator needs to know about the legal rights of
exceptional children and their parents. London: Jessica Kingsley.
Obiakor, F.E., Bakken, J.P., & Rotatori, A.F.(2011). History of Special Education. Emerald.
Omi, Y. (2013). Lives and relationships: Culture in transitions between social roles. Charlotte.
Smart, J. (2011). Disability Across the Developmental Life Span: For the Rehibilatation
Conselor. Springer Publishing Company.