# data[].attributes.body
This act required public schools that received federal funding to provide students with a disability, an education they could benefit from.

# data[].attributes.body
This act ensured students with disabilities would receive a free appropriate public education (FAPE).

This including providing an appropriate evaluation, an individualized education program (IEP), a least restrictive environment (LRE), involved parent and student decisions, and safeguards to protect the child.

# data[].attributes.body
This law created federal funding that some states could access so they could train and educate teachers with delivering AT services. While this was a step in the right direction, not every state had access to this new addition of funding.

# data[].attributes.body
This law required that all public buildings, schools, and facilities be accessible to people who have disabilities.

# data[].attributes.headline
How did this law set the stage for assistive technology to be made available for children with disabilities in public schools?

# data[].attributes.subject
How did this law set the stage for assistive technology to be made available for children with disabilities in public schools?

# data[].attributes.body
At this time, many schools did not have the means of accommodating students with disabilities on campus. This meant that these students were sent to special programs, or received services at home. Section 508 of this law required that electronic and information technology be accessible to those with disabilities.

# data[].attributes.body
This act put more appropriate identification labels into effect by using "first-person" language. It also required that public schools provide the student with an education that was as close to a general education as possible. This also enabled federal funding through IDEA for AT services.

# data[].attributes.body
This law further defined what it means to have an appropriate and fair education. It gave students with disabilities access to not only the general education classroom, but the curriculum as well.

# data[].attributes.body
This law defined that students with disabilities would be assessed as closely as possible to students without disabilities.

# data[].attributes.headline
How did this law set the stage for assistive technology to be made available for children with disabilities in public schools?

# data[].attributes.subject
How did this law set the stage for assistive technology to be made available for children with disabilities in public schools?

# data[].attributes.body
This law established the grounds for an IEP document. This would be critical in the future for AT because eventually, it would be required that AT options were at least considered.

# data[].attributes.headline
How did this law set the stage for assistive technology to be made available for children with disabilities in public schools?

# data[].attributes.subject
How did this law set the stage for assistive technology to be made available for children with disabilities in public schools?

# data[].attributes.body
This law mandated that AT be provided. This law put into action the federal funding that schools needed in order to successfully provide technology for students.

# data[].attributes.headline
How did this law set the stage for assistive technology to be made available for children with disabilities in public schools?

# data[].attributes.subject
How did this law set the stage for assistive technology to be made available for children with disabilities in public schools?

# data[].attributes.body
The ADA requirements forced schools to come up with creative solutions to make their building accessible. One of these ways was by using AT. An example would be the assistive door open button that you see outside of buildings.

# data[].attributes.headline
How did this law set the stage for assistive technology to be made available for children with disabilities in public schools?

# data[].attributes.subject
How did this law set the stage for assistive technology to be made available for children with disabilities in public schools?

# data[].attributes.body
IDEA is the law that required AT devices and services be provided to students with disabilities. It also helped enforce the federal funding regarding these devices.

# data[].attributes.headline
How did this law set the stage for assistive technology to be made available for children with disabilities in public schools?

# data[].attributes.subject
How did this law set the stage for assistive technology to be made available for children with disabilities in public schools?

# data[].attributes.body
This law set the stage by allowing students to practice content that was appropriate with their chronological age. It would sometimes require AT to be used in order to make the content accessible to the student.

# data[].attributes.headline
How did this law set the stage for assistive technology to be made available for children with disabilities in public schools?

# data[].attributes.subject
How did this law set the stage for assistive technology to be made available for children with disabilities in public schools?

# data[].attributes.body
This law included Universal Design. This brought the idea to public education that a learning environment is not linear, it is a barrier free community. This allowed AT to be looked at not as a crutch to be used, but as a tool to make every student successful.

# data[].attributes.headline
How do individuals like Sady benefit today from the progress made with this law? 

# data[].attributes.subject
How do individuals like Sady benefit today from the progress made with this law? 

# data[].attributes.body
People today benefit from this law because they are getting access to work in their communities. An example of this is the coffee shop Bitty & Beau's which has 18 shops in 11 states with over 400 employees.

Source:

The Bitty & Beau’s Coffee Story. (n.d.). Bitty & Beau’s Coffee. https://www.bittyandbeauscoffee.com/about/our-story/

‌

# data[].attributes.headline
How do individuals like Sady benefit today from the progress made with this law? 

# data[].attributes.subject
How do individuals like Sady benefit today from the progress made with this law? 

# data[].attributes.body
People today benefit from this law because many students are getting the opportunity to plan their future. There are many colleges even offering specific programs for students that may not get accepted to the typical 4-year university.

Source:

Commission, H. and H. S. (n.d.). College and Alternatives for Students with Disabilities | Navigate Life Texas. Www.navigatelifetexas.org. https://www.navigatelifetexas.org/en/transition-to-adulthood/college-and-alternatives-for-students-with-disabilities

‌

# data[].attributes.headline
How do individuals like Sady benefit today from the progress made with this law? 

# data[].attributes.subject
How do individuals like Sady benefit today from the progress made with this law? 

# data[].attributes.body
Individuals today get the amazing resource of having access to materials that benefit their education. In large communities, they have lots of training resources over AT. In smaller communities they have libraries that obtain the resources and make them available to check out to the public.

Source:

Short-Term Device Loans | Texas Technology Access Program. (n.d.). Ttap.disabilitystudies.utexas.edu. Retrieved June 7, 2024, from https://ttap.disabilitystudies.utexas.edu/short-term-device-loans

‌

# data[].attributes.headline
How do individuals like Sady benefit today from the progress made with this law? 

# data[].attributes.subject
How do individuals like Sady benefit today from the progress made with this law? 

# data[].attributes.body
This has changed the way society has created buildings. Every where you go, there are ramps, assistive door buttons, railings, and those are just a few examples. This also opens up job opportunities to those with disabilities.

Source:

U.S. Access Board. (2023). U.S. Access Board - ADA Accessibility Standards (enhanced single file version). Www.access-Board.gov. https://www.access-board.gov/ada/

‌

# data[].attributes.headline
How do individuals like Sady benefit today from the progress made with this law? 

# data[].attributes.subject
How do individuals like Sady benefit today from the progress made with this law? 

# data[].attributes.body
This helped individuals because now schools are receiving funding to help their students be successful by putting AT in their hands. Many students and families do not have the funds to provide this on their own at home. This opens a new world of success for every student.

Source:

Bouck, E. C., Meyer, N. K., Satsangi, R., Savage, M. N., & Hunley, M. (2015). Free Computer-Based Assistive Technology to Support Students With High-Incidence Disabilities in the Writing Process. Preventing School Failure: Alternative Education for Children and Youth, 59(2), 90–97. https://doi.org/10.1080/1045988x.2013.841116

‌

# data[].attributes.headline
How do individuals like Sady benefit today from the progress made with this law? 

# data[].attributes.subject
How do individuals like Sady benefit today from the progress made with this law? 

# data[].attributes.body
This allowed students to challenge their knowledge and prove others wrong. Many people to this day believe that just because a student has a disability, that they are not as capable as someone without a disability. This is simply not true, we are seeing more and more success stories as more resources are implemented for students.

Source:

Montes, N. (2019). An analysis of the performance of secondary students identified with learning disabilities on STAAR EOC accommodated and STAAR EOC modified assessments. Ttu-Ir.tdl.org. https://ttu-ir.tdl.org/items/a7bd5e29-69d3-4dd6-a472-c62c260e4877

‌

# data[].attributes.headline
How do individuals like Sady benefit today from the progress made with this law? 

# data[].attributes.subject
How do individuals like Sady benefit today from the progress made with this law? 

# data[].attributes.body
Students today benefit from this because they are being tested fairly based on their chronological age. They are getting the opportunity to progress along with their peers. I have seen this first hand in my classroom.

Source:

“Adapting Assessments for Students with Special Needs.” All Children Learning, allchildrenlearning.org/assessment-topics/adapting/adapting-assessments-for-students-with-special-needs/.

# data[].attributes.headline
What are the barriers schools experience in implementing the current federal statutes affording students with disabilities equal access to public schools?

# data[].attributes.subject
What are the barriers schools experience in implementing the current federal statutes affording students with disabilities equal access to public schools?

# data[].attributes.body
Barriers that schools experience vary from school to school. Rural schools seem to have the butt end of the deal. They are typically the last ones to receive updated resources. Some go even as far as not having updated training and terminology. Some rural schools don't have the numbers to have a special education specific program, so they are not receiving the proper training needed to provide resources for the students that are there.

Another issue that school experience that are specific to Texas is the transfer of AT devices. The device must meet a number of requirements to be transferred between schools or districts. They are not required to make AT transfers.

Issues including upgrades, removing technologies, and IEP consideration of technologies, can be a personal and difficult decision. When deciding what is appropriate for the student, the parents are involved in the process. Although this is true, the school may still deny a parent request. This has ended up in lawsuits.

# data[].attributes.headline
What could be included in future legislation to improve access to a free and appropriate public education for students with disabilities?

# data[].attributes.subject
What could be included in future legislation to improve access to a free and appropriate public education for students with disabilities?

# data[].attributes.body
I think something that should be included into future legislation is access to music therapy in every school. Music is a powerful tool for everyone, especially individuals with disabilities. Music not only activates both sides of the brain at the same time, it allows neurological pathways to strengthen. Music has healing properties that every student should have access to.

Source:

Music Therapy in Special Education. (2021). https://www.musictherapy.org/assets/1/7/FactSheet_Music_Therapy_in_Special_Education_2021.pdf

‌