IDEA legislation

IDEA, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, guarantees the right to a free and appropriate education to students with disabilities. The goal of IDEA is to prepare students with disabilities for employment and independent living. To receive an IEP, Individualized Education Program, the potential student must be evaluated. This evaluation includes all areas where the student may have a disability, including hearing, vision, communication, emotional well being, and general intelligence. The evaluation must be in the child's native language and is free to parents.

If the evaluation determines the child is eligable for an IEP, a group meets to discuss the student's plan. The group can include the general educator, special educator, parents, any qualified professionals like speech therapists or psychologists, and a school administrator who is familiar with special education procedures. The IEP determines the least restrictive environment for the student, annual goals with short term objectives, measurement of progress, participation with non-disabled students, and participation in state and district assessments.

While general education classrooms are tailored to fit the whole class, an IEP is designed specifically for one student. The availability of programs in an area are not considerations when designing an IEP, it is based entirely on the student's needs. The student may receive specially designed instruction, classroom accommodations, and supplementary aids. Each year the IEP team meets to determine the student's progress and goals for the next year.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Individualized_Education_Program
http://www.agbell.org/docs/agreatidea.pdf
http://idea.ed.gov/explore/home