Running head: THE CHANGES IN EDUCATION AFTER THE INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES ACT

The Changes in Education after the Individuals with Disabilities Act

Kelly M Johanson

SPED 100

Dakota State University

April 10, 2017

THE CHANGES IN EDUCATION AFTER THE INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES ACT

Abstract

There are six principles of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Those principles are

zero reject, nondiscriminatory identification and evaluation, free appropriate public education, least

restrictive environment, parent participation, and procedural safeguards. These are all the components

in making the Individuals with Disabilities Act also known as IDEA happen and making sure that students

with disabilities are getting the same rights and respect as students without disabilities. This essay will

inform what each one of these principles are, how the American education system has changed after

the IDEA act, the different roles educators will have, and how the lives of these children with disabilities

have changed because of this act.

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THE CHANGES IN EDUCATION AFTER THE INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES ACT

In 1975, Congress passed the Education for All Handicapped Children also known as the EHA.

(Heward, 2013, p. 16). The EHA ensures that handicapped children will get one free meal each day at

school and will have access to an education, but only at schools that accept federal funds. In 1990,

children with disabilities lives changed for the better. The EHA was renamed to the Individuals with

Disabilities Education Act, also known as IDEA. IDEAs main goal is to ensure that students with

disabilities are treated with the same rights and respect as students without disabilities. IDEA hasnt only

affected students with disabilities; but general education teachers, special education teachers, school

administrators, and even parents. There are six major principles of IDEA; zero reject, nondiscriminatory

evaluation, free appropriate public education, least restrictive environment, procedural safeguards, and

parent participation and shared decision making. IDEA has impacted the American education system,

educators roles, and the lives of individuals with disabilities.

There are six major principles of IDEA that have been basically unchanged since 1975 (Heward,

2013, p. 16). The first principle is zero reject. Zero reject means that schools must educate all children

with disabilities, no matter the circumstances. With the requirement of child find system, each states

education agency is responsible for evaluating all children from birth to age 21 in order to determine

each students disability. The next principle of IDEA is nondiscriminatory identification and evaluation;

meaning that schools must not use nonbiased, multi-factored methods of evaluation to determine

whether a student has a disability and whether or not the student needs specially designed instruction

in the classroom. Next, is the free appropriate public education (FAPE.) FAPE means that each student,

no matter what the disability, will receive a free appropriate public education, also having an

individualized education program (IEP) developed for each child. The IEP states where the student

stands academically, goals to reach in the future for the student, and describes concrete steps in how

the student will reach these goals. FAPE also ensures that schools will provide any services or technology

that a student needs. An example would be a student who needs a wheelchair to become successful. If

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THE CHANGES IN EDUCATION AFTER THE INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES ACT

this student needs a specific bus with wheelchair access to get them to and from school, the school will

provide that bus. The next principle is least restrictive environment. Least restrictive environment

means that students with disabilities must be educated with students without disabilities to the

maximum extent appropriate. Today, 75 percent of students with disabilities receive at least part of

their education in regular classroom (Heward, 2013, p. 18). Also, it will be stated in the IEP what

students with disabilities can or cant do with their peers in their education, not only in the general

classroom, but in gym class, music class, etc. The next principle is procedural safeguards, which means

that the schools musts protect the rights of the children and their parents. The last major principle in

IDEA is parent participation and shared decision making. This means that when making decisions

regarding the student with a disability, the parents must be involved in making every decision.

The American education system has changed dramatically since IDEA was passed. Before

students with disabilities werent allowed an education in public schools. Today, it is a law that every

student, with any disability, is offered a free education. This is the biggest change that American

education systems have had to go through. Its such an amazing change that weve made in America to

provide these students with educations.

As a future educator, there is much to prepare for dealing with the components of IDEA. IDEA

states that each student should receive a free appropriate public education. With that being said, each

student must be written an IEP. Again, an IEP is going to state where the student is academically, goals

to achieve academically and personally, and specific steps and way in which they will achieve that goal.

Writing IEPS in class took some time, not just by how long it was but teachers must be very specific and

concrete. The first part of the IEP is where they are at academically. This is a part of the IEP where again

must be done very specific and concrete. An example could be: if a teacher wants to say he isnt doing

so well in math. Instead of saying he isnt doing so well in math, say his addition facts are whats wrong;

he is doing approximately five problems per minute, compared to other students doing twenty addition

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THE CHANGES IN EDUCATION AFTER THE INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES ACT

problems per minute. Another example could be that his behavior isnt very good in class. Instead of

having a very broad statement about his behavior, the teacher must say exactly what it is about his

behavior that isnt good. Saying the student gets up and out of his seat every five minutes is much more

concrete than his behavior isnt very good. Being able to write IEPs are something every teacher will

have to get prepared to do for the school year as they do take some time. IDEA also clarifies that before

any decisions are made, parents and teachers must come to an agreement. Because of that, teachers

and parents must meet in order to begin writing these IEPs so they can agree on what the disability is,

and what goals they can set for the student. Along with FAPE, another thing teachers must prepare for

ahead of time is any technology, machines, or resources that students will need for the school year.

Some students could possibly have special health needs to where they would need a nurse so many

times a day. With that being said, the teachers must speak with administrators as soon as they know

and get that set up.

The Individualized with Disabilities Act has mostly changed the lives of these students with

disabilities. No matter what the disability is, these children deserve to be in a normal school, normal

classroom. Least restrictive environment gives them this feeling by setting them in a regular classroom

with the rest of their peers without disabilities. This is the most important principle because fitting in

and being accepted especially in elementary school is very important to these students. Being allowed

to be in the classroom with their peers also gives them social confidence. If they are being removed and

isolated with just one other teacher, they arent going to know how to communicate with their peers. It

also decreases the things they will miss out on in the classroom academically, like class projects or

experiments. Least restrictive environment is the most important principle of IDEA because like their

motto they want all students with disabilities to have the same rights and respect as students without

disabilities.

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THE CHANGES IN EDUCATION AFTER THE INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES ACT

In conclusion, IDEA has six major principles schools must offer children with disabilities. Again,

those are zero reject, nondiscriminatory identification and evaluation, free appropriate public

education, least restrictive environment, parent participation and shared decision making, and

procedural safeguards. These principles are the reasons why we can give students with disabilities the

same rights and respect as students without disabilities.

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THE CHANGES IN EDUCATION AFTER THE INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES ACT

References

Heward, William (2013). Exceptional Children: An Introduction To Special Education. The Ohio State

University. Pearson