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Vocational Rehabilitation Amendment
This amendment targeted working intellectually disabled individuals with assistance. This amendment helped with the increase of special education as this change helped thousands of workers acquire employment and funded over a 100 university-based rehabilitation programs. This amendment helps those with specials needs as it grants those help in terms of their jobs. -
Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)
This act was signed into law by Former President Lyndon B. Johnson. This act created a plan to readdress the inequality of educational opportunity for economically underprivileged children
then, became the basis for what the early special education legislation was made from. -
Higher Education Act
This federal law was created by former President Lyndon Johnson as apart of his Great Society domestic agenda. This act was responsible for providing financial assistance for people with physical disabilities entering college or university. This helped special education as now individuals with physical ailments were allowed to get an education along with the rest of college students. -
Rehabilitation Act (Section 504)
A federal law designed to protect the rights of individuals with disabilities in programs that receive federal financial assistance from the Department of Education. A free appropriate public education consists of the provision of regular or special education and related aids and services designed to meet the student's individual educational needs as the needs of nondisabled students are met. -
Education of All Handicapped Children's Act (PL 94-142)
In 1975, and through today, the intent of the law is to ensure that all children with disabilities receive a free appropriate public education. This benefits the special education community as it means anyone with a special needs child is able to attend school as no cost, just like other children. -
The Handicapped Children's Protection Act
This act is an extension of the Handicapped Act of 1975 as this new act allows for parents of special education children the right to recover attorney fees, expenses, and costs, if the parent won a court case or hearing. This act greatly helped the parents of special education children. -
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
It requires to receive funds under the act, every school system must provide a free, appropriate public education for every child regardless of their disability. -
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was enacted in 1990. ADA ensures the right of individuals with disabilities to nondiscriminatory treatment in other aspects of their lives; it provides protections of civil rights in the specific areas of employment, transportation, public accommodations, state and local government, and telecommunications. This act allows those with special education to be treated just as anyone else within their community. -
No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB)
Under former President Bush, this act became a major factor in the focus of public schooling, including special education as NCLB attempted to improve the academic performance of all students, including those with disabilities. Under this act, most students with disabilities are to take standard tests of academic achievement and achieve at a level equal to students without disabilities. This helped to show that those with disabilities should not be any different than those who are "normal". -
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA)
This act was an extension of the IDEA act of 1990, that still guarantees services to individuals with disabilities. As this act was an extension, it continues to help those with special needs.