Special Education

Laws
Andrea DeWitte
 Education act that ensures all children with disabilities are entitled to
a free appropriate public education to meet their unique needs and
prepare them for further education, employment, and independent
living
What is IDEA? Impacts children aged 3-21
School based (FAPE, LRE, IEP)
(Individuals Originally enacted in 1975, most recent amendment was passed in
with 2004
Covers all school-age children who fall within one or more of the 13
Disabilities specific categories
Requires an IEP (Individualized Education Program)
Education Act)

Source:http://www.apa.org/about/gr/issues/disability/idea.aspx
 Autism
Blindness
Deafness
Emotional Disturbance

13 Categories Hearing Impairment

Intellectual Disability
of Special Multiple Disabilities
Education Orthopedic Impairment
under IDEA Other Health Impaired
Specific Learning Disability
Speech or Language Impairment
Traumatic Brain Injury
Visual Impairment
 Civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with
disabilities in all areas of public life, including jobs, school,
transportation, etc.
Became law in 1990
Divided into 5 sections that relate to different areas of public life
What is ADA? which include: Employment, Public Services: State and Local
Government, Public Accommodations and Services Operated by
Private Entities, Telecommunications, and Miscellaneous Provisions
(Americans To be protected under ADA, one must have a disability or have a
with relationship with an individual with a disability
An individual with a disability is defined by ADA as a person who has a
Disabilities physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more
major life
Act)

Source: https://adata.org/factsheet/ADA-overview
 Part of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
Civil rights law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of disabling
conditions by programs and activities receiving or benefiting from
federal financial assistance
Covers individuals who meet the definition of qualified handicapped
person
Covers individuals with an impairment that substantially limits a major
What is life activity: walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, breathing, learning,
working, caring for oneself, and performing manual tasks
Section 504? Decisions about the child, evaluation data, and placement options are
made by knowledgeable individuals, such decisions do not require
parental consent but only notifying parents
Does not require an IEP, but does require a plan
Source:http://www.ldonline.org/article/6086
 Act passed in 2015 to replace NCLB (No Child Left Behind)
Law requires data on student achievement and graduation
rates to be reported
Gives states and districts more responsibility and control in
What is ESSA? implementing federal funds
Less standardized testing and more enjoyable
(Every Student learning/teaching
Succeeds Act) Maintains paraprofessional certification requirements
States will be responsible for establishing their own
accountability systems

Source: http://www.aft.org/sites/default/files/essa101-1.pdf
 Small group or 1-on-1 instruction
What is the Observation, collect data on students
paraprofessionals Monitoring hallways, lunchroom, recess, etc.
role in Special Implementing IEPs
Education? Providing personal care assistance
Share information with teacher