Public Law 94-142 (the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) guarantees five things for students with disabilities:

Question

a. A free and appropriate education
b. A fair and nondiscriminatory evaluation
c. Education in the least restrictive environment
d. An individualized education program
e. Due process
In five short paragraphs, explain the implications of each of these for educational practice.

Answer 1

Answers to the separate parts of the question are as follows:
a. We must provide an educational program designed to meet the specific needs of each student with a disability.
b. A multidisciplinary team conducts an in-depth evaluation of a student who may potentially be eligible for special services. Evaluation methods must provide a complete and accurate assessment of each student's unique educational needs. Evaluation procedures must take the student's background and any suspected physical or communication difficulties into account.
c. Every student with a disability is entitled to education in the most typical and standard educational environment that can reasonably meet his or her needs. Exclusion from general education classes is warranted only when others' safety would be jeopardized or when, even with proper support and assistance, a student cannot make appreciable progress in a general education setting.
d. An IEP must be developed and described in written form for each student identified as having a disability. This is reviewed and revised at least once a year.
e. IDEA mandates several practices that ensure that a student's rights, as well as those of parents acting on the student's behalf, are preserved throughout the decision-making process.