What are the components of IDEA?
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act was created in Congress in order to address the issue on how States should provide education with children who have special needs from birth until they reach the age of 21.
All of the 50 states are asked to comply with the act and all have chosen to follow the mandate and receive federal funding in order to make sure that children with disabilities will gain access and equity to special learning equipment and aid.
IDEA act has undergone a lot of changes. In 2004, Congress defined that all children with special needs can ask for a Free Appropriate Public Education. This is to ensure that the children will not learn in a restrictive learning environment.
Before IDEA and FAPE were enacted, children with special needs have to go into a regular public school system. They were forced and subjected to institutionalized learning even though they are not able to learn using common education teaching principles.
Today, children with special needs enjoy more freedom. They are now able to avail of services that will include IEP or Individual Education Plan. Children with special needs can now avail of a personal plan for certain needs. The program includes occupational therapy, psychologist services, speech and language and other special transportation and modifications.
The people monitoring the IEP will be the one to make sure that the child will experience the least restrictive environment of learning. Parents can work with the school district when it comes to updating the plans, parents can also take part in the re-evaluation of their children.
IEPs plans can be monitored and teachers are taught how to handle special accommodations as well as modifications and assessments. Children with special needs can now have access to a lot of services, while it does not mean that the IDEA, FAPE and IEP are the perfect system. It is one of the most efficient systems introduced in the world.