-
Section 504
- Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act ensured protection for people with disabilities from discrimination.
- At its basis, it ensured that disabled people would be guaranteed access to any federally funded program/activity
- This law gave many disabled people that originally struggled finding jobs the opportunity to succeed by protecting them from being discriminated against.
- This set up the groundwork for all future legislation protecting people with disabilities
-
IDEA - Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
- Originally known as the Education for All Handicapped Children Act
- Guaranteed access to free, appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment for all children with disabilities.
- Allowed for, over the past 40 years, an advancement of expectations for children with special needs as well as insurance for parents of children with special needs that their child can get the education they need.
- Ensured quality of opportunity for students with special needs
-
Board of Educ. V. Rowley
- A court case between a deaf student, Amy Rowley, and the board of education that sought to protect students with special needs and define the IDEA's requirement to provide free appropriate education in the least restrictive environment.
- The court held that the IDEA did not require that special education be designed to help disabled students reach their 'full potential' and instead just benefit educationally.
- This had huge ramifications and helped to shape the future of special education.
-
Americans with Disabilities Act
- A law modeled after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 that prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in ALL areas of public life.
- It guaranteed equal opportunity in public accommodations, employment, transportation, and state and local government services
- This law has been the benchmark for special education since its creation, allowing for students with disabilities to be given equal opportunity to succeed in education environments.