Fact: IDEA, the U.S. special education law, says that kids who get special education should be in the same classrooms as other kids as much as possible. This concept is called least restrictive environment, or LRE. Research shows that two-thirds of kids with learning disabilities spend at least 80 percent of their day in the general education classroom with all the other kids.

"FAPE means that schools have to make sure all children have what they need to learn and progress at school. It also means families cannot be charged money for services at school.

Assistive Technology (AT): AT is any item a child needs to keep up or do better in school."

• The right to a “Free and Appropriate Public Education” (FAPE)

• A comprehensive evaluation paid for by the school

• Services to support their learning needs from age 3-21

• An education in the “Least Restrictive Environment” (LRE). This means the school must provide the support to enable a student to learn in a regular classroom with typical peers, as much as possible. 

IDEA lists 13 categories under which a student with a disability can be considered eligible for special education and related services as long as they are between the ages of 3 and 21. The categories are:

• Deaf-blindness – These are children with both hearing and visual impairments. Their communication and other needs are extreme, in that they cannot be met using standard programs for the deaf or blind.

• Autism – Even though it may cover various symptoms and skills, it largely affects social and communication skills of the child and can also affect behavior.

• Emotional disturbance – Can include various disorders such as anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, depression, and obsessive compulsive disorder.

• Deafness – Severe hearing impairment to the point that they cannot process language through hearing.

• Intellectual disability – Below-average intellectual ability that may include poor communication, reading, social, and self-care skills. For example, Down syndrome.

• Hearing impairments – Any hearing loss that is not covered in deafness, such as loss of hearing that can fluctuate at given times.

• Blindness or visual impairment – Refers to vision problems that can range from partial to full blindness. A child will be ineligible if eyewear can correct the vision problem.

• Orthopedic impairment – Refers to any type of impairment on a child’s body.

• Multiple disabilities – Refers to a child having more than one disability, as stipulated in IDEA.

• Specific learning disability – This is an umbrella term that covers various learning issues, and can affect the child’s writing, learning, speaking, or listening abilities. These include: dysgraphia, dyslexia, auditory processing disorder, dyscalculia, nonverbal learning disability, and many others.

• Traumatic brain injury – Refers to any type of brain injury sustained through an accident or a physical force.

• Speech or language impairment – Refers to a number of communication problems, such as impaired articulation, stuttering, and voice or language impairment.

• Other health impairment – Refers to any condition that largely limits a child’s alertness, energy, and strength.

-Documentation of impairment is known

-The student is known

• Public education (schools)

• Public Transportation

• Recreation

• Health care

• Social services

• Courts

• Voting

• Emergency services

• Offices where people go to:

  • Renew licenses

  • Apply for food stamps

  • Pay their taxes

  • Attend town meetings

  • Serve on boards and commissions

  • Conduct other government business

-changes to the environment (like taking tests in a quiet space)

-changes to instruction (like checking in frequently on key concepts)

-changes to how curriculum is presented (like getting outlines of lessons)

Accommodations don’t change what kids learn, just how they learn it. The goal is to remove barriers and give kids access to learning.