Reflections on the 25th Anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

Abstract

November 29, 2000, marked the 25th anniversary of the signing into law of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This seminal law has improved the educational opportunities for students with disabilities in the United States. In this article we briefly review the IDEA's first 25 years and speculate on the direction the IDEA may take in the future. Our purpose in this article is to (a) present the litigative and legislative developments that led to the passage of IDEA, (b) examine the law itself and the litigation interpreting the IDEA, and (c) discuss the direction that IDEA may take over the next 25 years..TDAY ! I JOIN MILLIONS OF AMERICANS in celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)-a landmark law that opens the doors to education and success for more than six million American children each year. As we recognize this milestone, we know that education is the key to our children's future, and it is the IDEA that ensures all children with disabilities have access to a free appropriate public education. We have seen tremendous progress over the past 25 years-students with disabilities are graduating from high school, completing college, and entering the competitive workforce in record numbers-and we must continue this progress over the next 25 years and beyond.-Speech by President Bill Clinton,

There's No Place Like Home: Training, Practices and Perceptions of Homebound Services

“…Remembering that special education is a highly litigious field (Katsiyannis et al, 2001), districts and agencies do well to ensure that personnel are not only qualified but are also appropriately trained.…”

“…This is especially problematic in the field of special education where legal challenges abound. Katsiyannis, Yell, and Bradley (2001) indicated that, "perhaps no other area of educational law…has been more highly litigated than the education of students with disabilities" (p. 326).…”

Early Autism Detection

“…More recently, in 1997, the EHA was renamed the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and federal funding was made available for early intervention services for infants, toddlers, and their families. IDEA also specifically identified ASDs as developmental disabilities and emphasized the importance of intervention for children with ASD (Katsiyannis et al, 2001). IDEA mandates the creation of an individualized family service plan (IFSP) for each infant or toddler diagnosed with a developmental problem of any kind, including ASD.…”

“…The EHA authorized support both for expanded Head Start programs and for educational services for all children with disabilities. For the first time, every child age 3 to 21 in the United States, regardless of cognitive abilities, behavioral problems, or physical impairments, was guaranteed a free, appropriate public education (Katsiyannis, Yell, & Bradley, 2001).…”

“…IDEA mandates the creation of an individualized family service plan (IFSP) for each infant or toddler diagnosed with a developmental problem of any kind, including ASD. The IFSP is a comprehensive plan of education, therapy, and intervention for the child and family (Katsiyannis et al, 2001). This has meant greater access to assessment and intervention services (U.S. Department of Education, n.d.).…”