Teaching Students with Exceptionalities

By: Dr. Liana Gonzalez

Special Education Laws

Vocational Rehabilitation Act (VRA) of 1973

� Part of Public Law 93-112 � Defines handicapped person � Defines appropriate education � Prohibits discrimination against students with disabilities in

federally funded programs

Educational Amendment Act of 1974 � Part of Public Law 93-380 � Grants federal funds to states for programming for

exceptional learners � Provided the first federal funding of state programs for

students who are gifted and talented � Grants students and families the right of due process in

special education placement

Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975

� Part of PL 94-142, Part B � Known as the mainstreaming law � Requires states to provide a free and appropriate public

education for children with disabilities (ages 5-18) � Requires Individualized Educational Programs (IEPs) � First defined Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)

Education of the Handicapped Act Amendments

� Part of Public Law 99-457 � Requires states to extend free and appropriate education to

children with disabilities (ages 3-5) � Established early intervention programs for infants and

toddlers with disabilities (ages birth-2 years)

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1990

� Part of Public Law 101-476 � Renames and replaces PL 94-142 � Established ‘people first language’ when referring to people

with disabilities � Extended Special Education services to include social work,

assistive technology, and rehabilitation services � Extends provisions for due process and confidentiality for

students and parents � Added two new categories for disability: autism and

traumatic brain injury

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)…continued.

� Required states to provide bilingual education programs for students with disabilities

� Required states to educate students with disabilities for transition to employment, and to provide transition services

� Required the development of individualized transition programs for students with disabilities by the time they reach the age of 16.

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1997

� Part of Public Law 105-17 Requires that:

� all students with disabilities continue to receive services even if they have been expelled from school

� schools assume a greater responsibility for ensuring that students with disabilities have access to the general education curriculum

� a general education teacher be part of the IEP team � Students with disabilities take part in statewide and district

assessments

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1997…continued…

Requires that: � states offer mediation as a voluntary option for parents and

educators to resolve differences � a proactive behavior management plan be created and included in

the IEP if the student with disabilities has behavior problems � a limit be placed to the conditions under which attorneys can

collect fees under IDEA Allows:

� states to extend their use of developmental delay category for students through age 9

� Special Education staff who are working in general education settings to also assist non-disabled students when needed

No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2001

� Improves performance of elementary and secondary schools by increasing school, district, and state accountability for all students, including those from minority populations and those with special needs

� Provides more flexibility in how states use federal funds as long as standards of accountability are met

� Offers vouchers for students enrolled in failing schools � Implements early reading interventions

Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004

� Allows districts to use a Response to Intervention (RtI) model for determining whether a child has a specific learning disability, and no longer requires that a child has a severe discrepancy between achievement and intellectual ability to qualify

� Increases federal funds to provide early intervention services to students who do not need Special Education Services

� Eliminates use of short term objectives in IEPs except for students who do not take statewide achievement tests

� Raises standards for Special Education licensure � Adopts policies designed to prevent the disproportionate

representation of students in Special Education by race and ethnicity