What is IDEA besides yet another acronym we have to learn? It’s the most important piece of education legislation to benefit people with disabilities ever written.

IDEA is the “Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.” IDEA provides for a “free and appropriate education” to all persons with disabilities. This legislation is the basis by which we determine what the educational system must do, may do, and does not have to do when it comes to educating our children.

Learning what IDEA says about what kind of education your child is entitled to and what related services are included in that education is critical in making sure your IEP goals are correct. Learning to use the language of IDEA is critical in making sure you can even get the goals in the IEP in the first place.

This page will give you information on not only the actual text of IDEA, but articles by IDEA experts and additional web links to help you on your quest for a “free and appropriate education” for your child.

Links:

The Arc Action Alerts on IDEA
http://www.thearc.org/alerts/senateidea.doc

The Arc and UCP IDEA Public Policy Fact Sheet
http://www.thearc.org/ppc/ideafacts.doc

The Pacer Center
http://www.pacer.org/text/idea/idea.html

Idea Reauthorization News
http://www.wrightslaw.com/news/idea2002.htm

Wrightslaw FAQs about IDEA
http://www.wrightslaw.com/info/idea.faqs.nea.1994.htm

IDEA Overview:
http://www.ericfacility.net/databases/ERIC_Digests/ed433668.html

National Information Center for Children and Youth with Disabilities
http://www.nichcy.org/idea.htm

Guide to Disability Rights Law
http://www.usdoj.gov/crt/ada/cguide.htm

Student Discipline and IDEA (pdf)
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d01210.pdf

Council on Exceptional Children Summary of IDEA
http://www.cec.sped.org/pp/idea-a.htm

The Arc on IDEA
http://www.thearc.org/faqs/qa-idea.html

US Commission on Civil Rights Briefing on Reauthorization of IDEA
http://www.usccr.gov/pubs/idea/trans.htm

IDEA Practices
http://www.ideapractices.org/

National PTA’s Website
http://www.pta.org/ptawashington/issues/idea.asp

IDEA Requirements: Least Restrictive Environments
http://www.wrightslaw.com/advoc/articles/idea.lre.fape.htm

Recommended Reading:

Wrightslaw: From Emotions to Advocacy—The Special Education Survival Guide
A practical "survival guide" designed to teach you how to advocate for children with disabilities. Learn about obstacles, common reasons for parent-school conflict, and how to manage a crisis. Learn advocacy skills - how to organize, plan, present, and prepare. Learn how to organize the child's file, write SMART IEP goals and objectives, and measure progress objectively. Learn to create paper trails, write persuasive letters, and maintain control in school meetings. Includes worksheets, forms, sample letters; appendices; bibliography; index. To order go to www.wrightslaw.com

Wrightslaw: Special Education Law
. Designed to answer questions about special education law, Wrightslaw: Special Education Law includes the full text of the Individuals with Disabilities Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, FERPA, implementing regulations, and special education decisions by the U. S. Supreme Court. To order go to www.wrightslaw.com