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Also known as the Americans with Disabilities (ADA) Amendments Act of 2008. Although this law was established in 2008, it went into full effect on January 1, 2009.

This law accomplished broadening the range of impairments and making it easier for individuals to qualify as having a disability. This law also broadened the list of major life activities that could be considered in determining whether someone has a disability. What makes this Act unique is that even when a person's disability may be well-managed by medication, treatment, or etc. they still are considered applicable. Another unique element with this amendment is that major life activities don't necessarily need to be severe to be considered a disability.

Benefits:

*Employers and/or schools are required to provide reasonable accommodations

*Inclusive work environment/school environment

*Access to public services which could promote independence, especially in adulthood

Pillars of Special Education:

Legal and Ethical Framework: This pillar includes laws, regulations, and ethical principles that provides schools with the rights of those students with disabilities. This pillar reinforces protection against discrimination and makes sure that students with disabilities receive accommodations in an educational setting.

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Also known as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990.

This law accomplished prohibiting discrimination against those with disabilities and made sure that all individuals were able to fully participate in society and with those who were not considered disabled. This included: employment, public services, public accommodations, transportation, and accessibility. What makes this law unique is the transportation and accessibility requirements. This law makes accessibility to transportation, buildings, and facilities a must for those with disabilities.

Benefits:

*Greater acceptance of those with disabilities

* Legal protection, especially with employment

*Access to more services

*Inclusion

Pillars of Special Education:

Legal and Ethical Framework: This pillar reinforces protection against discrimination. It establishes the legal basis for ensuring access to all additional services.

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Also known as Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.

This law accomplished prohibiting discrimination against individuals with disabilities in activities and programs that receive federal financial assistance. This includes schools, hospitals, and many other public and private settings. A unique fact about this Act is that in schools, it helps students receive appropriate accommodations and helps develop an IEP or 504 Plan, hence where the name came from.

Benefits:

*Equal access to federally funded programs and activities

*Right to full participation in educational programs

*Laid the groundwork for later legislation such as ADA

Pillars of Special Education:

Legal and Ethical Framework: This pillar provides individuals with disabilities fair and equal treatment in the educational setting.

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Also known as the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Although this law was established in 2001, it went into full effect on January 8, 2002.

This law accomplished improving academic achievement for all students by giving more accountability to teachers and schools. States set high standards and schools were held accountable for their students' outcomes based off of their performance scores. This law is unique because it mandated annual testing in reading and math for grades 3-8 and once in high school. Another unique fact is that schools were also required to publicly record their results for all to see.

Benefits:

*Title I funding

*Highly qualified teachers

*Support for disadvantaged students

Pillars of Special Education:

Educational Outcomes and Accountability: This pillar emphasizes the importance of improving educational outcomes through standards, accountability, and assessments.

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Also known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004.

This law accomplished a significant update to the IDEA legislation. It reaffirms educational rights of students with disabilities, strengthened IEP requirements, emphasized the importance of early intervention, established procedures for discipling students with disabilities, and updated performance measures. A unique revision that was made was mandated transition services in IEPs for students to focus on planning for their lives after high school. This could include vocational schooling, post-secondary schooling, or independent living.

Benefits:

*Early Intervention Services

*Safeguards for handling disciplinary issues

*Preparing for the future and incorporating transitional services

*Stronger parental support

Pillar of Special Education:

Educational Outcomes and Accountability: This pillar holds schools accountable for student progress and strives to have better educational outcomes with effective supports.

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Also known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997.

This law accomplished making several important changes to IDEA to improve the education of students with disabilities. This was the real start of inclusion and realizing the importance of inclusion in the general education classroom. Educational standards were also reviewed, and it was seen that students with disabilities were held to the same high standards as their peers. IEP content now needed to have clear and measurable goals for students with disabilities to work towards and for the teachers to progress monitor. Something unique about this law was schools were required to conduct a Manifestation Determination Review to decide if a student's behavior was a manifestation of their disability before they could have disciplinary consequences.

Benefits:

*Improved access to general education

*High expectations

*Clear and measurable goals in IEPs

Pillars of Special Education:

Educational Outcomes and Accountability: This amendment focused on academic standards, measurable goals, and inclusion. All of which are important for successful educational outcomes.

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Also known as the Individuals with Disabilities Act Amendments of 1990.

This law accomplished renaming the act from the "Education for All Handicapped Children Act". This showed to be more respectful. This law also accomplished adding additional disability categories which included Autism and Traumatic Brain Injury. This revision showed progress in recognizing the need for specific accommodations within these conditions. A unique fact to this law is the idea of least restrictive environment. This means that students with disabilities should be included in the general education setting as much as possible with the appropriate supports and/or services.

Benefits:

*Recognizing diverse needs by adding new disability categories

*General education access as much as possible

Pillar of Special Education:

Educational Outcomes and Accountability: This pillar provides students with disabilities the least restrictive environment and inclusion within the general education setting which is an important part of improving educational outcomes and accountability.

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Also known as the Education of the Handicapped Act Amendments of 1986.

This law accomplished early intervention services for children ages birth to age 3 which addressed developmental delays early on in hopes of improving long-term results. This law also extended eligibility for special education services to preschool programs. A unique fact about this law was the requirement of Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs) instead of IEPs. An IFSP emphasized the role of family support in early childhood development.

Benefits:

*Support for families

*Improved outcomes with earlier onset of interventions

*Increased funding for early intervention

Pillar of Special Education:

Early Intervention and Transition Services: This pillar focuses on providing support and services to young children with disabilities. Through early intervention, IFSPs, and additional funding young children were getting the accommodations they need.

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Also known as the Education for All Handicapped Children Act which was passed in November 1975.

This law accomplished being the first federal law that guaranteed a free, appropriate public education for children with disabilities that was tailored specifically to their individual needs. This included IEPs and least restrictive environments to ensure inclusion within the general education setting. This law is unique because due process hearings were created. If a family felt like their student with a disability was not getting appropriate accommodations due to their disability, the family was able to challenge the school and their decisions.

Benefits:

*The first step in special education laws

*Free appropriate public education

*Least restrictive environment

*Due process hearings

Pillars of Special Education:

Legal and Ethical Framework: This pillar establishes legal rights and protections for students with disabilities. This law introduced legal principles and safeguards which is the core of this pillar.

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Also known as the "Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Children (PARC) v. Pennsylvania" case that was decided on in 1971.

This case accomplished ensuring that all children with intellectual disabilities, no matter how severe their disability may be, have the right to free public education. This case is unique because it laid the foundation for IDEA.

Benefits:

*Ensured rights for all students to a free public education

*Fair procedures within the education system

Pillars of Special Education:

Legal and Ethical Framework: This pillar focuses on establishing and protecting the legal rights of students with disabilities. This case ruled on the right to education and procedural safeguards.

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Also known as a case that addressed the interpretation of IDEA in 1982.

This case accomplished determining what a school district must provide to a student with disabilities under IDEA when deciding between the most feasible education or only some educational benefit. A unique discovery about this case is that under IDEA, schools are only required to provide an education that is "reasonably calculated to enable the child to receive educational benefits." It did not mandate that schools provide the maximum possible benefit.

Benefits:

*Clarified standards on what is required vs. what is not

*Reasonable expectations for what a school is capable of providing

Pillars of Education:

Educational Outcomes and Accountability: This pillar focuses on ensuring that educational services meet certain standards. This case provided clarification on what is required under IDEA and what would not be a requirement.

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Daniel R.R. vs. State Board of Education

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Daniel R.R. vs. State Board of Education

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Also known as a case that sought out the determination on whether a school district was required to place a student with disabilities in a regular education setting or if it could place the student in a more segregated special education setting that would be more beneficial in 1989.

This case accomplished adequate evaluation of placement to make sure that a student with disabilities is in the least restrictive environment. This case is unique because the courts created a two-pronged test to evaluate this requirement.

Benefits:

*Clarification on least restrictive environment

*Two-pronged tests

*Consideration of supplementary aids and services

Pillars of Special Education:

Least Restrictive Environment: This pillar focuses on ensuring that students with disabilities are educated in settings that are as close as possible to those of their non-disabled peers, while providing appropriate supports and accommodations. This case emphasized the importance on evaluating a student's abilities with appropriate supports.

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Also known as a case that examined the integration of students with disabilities into regular education classrooms in 1992.

This case accomplished creating the exact criteria under least restrictive environment for students with disabilities. This is also what makes this case unique because educators are now required to look at multiple points such as: educational benefit, impact on the classroom, cost of supplementary aids and services, and adequate support.

Benefits:

*Strengthening least restrictive environment criteria

*Focus on supports

*Extra guidance for schools

Pillars of Special Education:

Least Restrictive Environment: The case reinforced the importance of evaluating whether students can benefit from regular education classrooms with supplementary aids and services before removing the student.

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Also known as a case that addressed the extent of a school district's responsibility under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to provide necessary medical services to students with disabilities in 1999.

This case accomplished the requirement of providing necessary health services related to the educational needs of students with disabilities. This case is unique because the court found such services necessary under FAPE. This is because a student's education would benefit from having this particular medical service.

Benefits:

*Better understanding of FAPE laws

*Additional support for students with disabilities

*Clear guidance for schools to follow

Pillars of Special Education:

Related Services: This pillar focuses on ensuring that students with disabilities receive the additional services and supports they need to benefit their education. This case clarified that necessary health services are included as part of FAPE under IDEA.