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Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)
This is an important event because it launched the governments part in helping students who were at a disadvantage. One highlight from this act was the free and reduced lunch to help meet basic needs of students. Also schools received more funding to better their programs for students with disabilities (Vaughn and Shumm, 2014). These things were important because they started to pave the way for better treatment of and education for students with disabilities. -
Vocational Rehabilitation Act (VRA)
This is an important event because it gave people a definition for a handicapped person and what appropriate education is. These were good because they gave people a base for who a person with a handicap might be and what they might need. This act also outlawed any discrimination towards persons with disabilities in federally funded programs (Vaughn and Schumm, 2014). This act is a good start to education people about what a disability is and how we can treat those who have one. -
Educational Amendments Act
This act is important because it provided more funding for states in a couple different areas: exceptional learners programs and also for students who are gifted and talented. It is a big step for the government to notice and provide support for the whole range of abilities. This act also granted families the right to due process in special education placement (Vaughn and Schumm, 2014). Students with disabilities were gaining rights and fair treatment. -
Education for All Handicapped Children (EAHCA)
This is an important event because this is when mainstreaming become a law, IEP programs began, and the least restrictive environment was first defined. Vaughn and Schumm (2014) said that this law, along with a couple others, significantly improved the opportunities for individuals with disabilities.This act was so important because it began to surround students with disabilities with teams to help them get where they needed to go and provided support to them. -
Education of the Handicapped Act Amendments
This is an important event because it had us look at students earlier to provide special services if they were showing a need for it. This act extended free and appropriate education to children with disabilities ages 3-5. And established early intervention programs for infants and toddlers with disabilities (Vaughn and Schumm, 2014). Having interventions and programs ready for these young children with disabilities can really help those children's futures and prepare them to school and more. -
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
This act is important because it established the concept of "people first language" so that students with disabilities were not referred to as the "autistic student" but the "student with autism." This act is also important for many other reasons: extending services, requiring states to provide bilingual education and transition to employment programs (Vaughn and Schumm, 2015). This act extended services, demanded more respect for, and gave more opportunities for students with disabilities. -
No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB)
This act was important because it helped schools, states, and districts have more accountability for students with special needs. This is important for these students because they can be at risk to be left behind academically, so this protected them. It also implemented early reading interventions (Vaughn and Schumm, 2014). Again, these things protected these students with disabilities more and it also provided more supports for them. -
Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA)
This act is important because it let districts use the RTI model to determine if a child has a learning disability. There was also an increase in funding so that schools could provide early intervention services to students who don't need special education (Vaughn and Schuum, 2014). These things allowed for earlier interventions for students so that they don't fall behind or get lost in their education.
