Outline the history and basic concepts of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

What will be an ideal response?

Until the 1970s, most public schools either refused enrollment to children and adolescents with disabilities or served them inadequately. In 1975, Public Law 94-142, the Education of All Handicapped Children Act, required that all students with disabilities be given a free, appropriate public education. In 1990, Public Law 94-142 was recast as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). IDEA was amended in 1997 and then reauthorized in 2004, when it was renamed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act.
IDEA spells out broad mandates for services to all children and adolescents with disabilities. These include evaluation and eligibility determination, appropriate education, an individualized education plan (IEP), and education in the least restrictive environment. The IEP is a written statement that spells out a program that is specifically tailored for children and adolescents with a disability. The least restrictive environment is a setting that is as similar as possible to the one in which children and adolescents who do not have a disability are educated. Many legal changes regarding children and adolescents with disabilities have been extremely positive. Compared with several decades ago, far more students today are receiving competent, specialized services. For many students, inclusion in the regular classroom, with modifications or supplemental services, is appropriate.