| During the first years of a child's life, the brain is still | | | | public schools. In addition, these funds can help with |
| malleable and able to form important connections so | | | | things like training special education teachers and |
| that the child can learn a wide variety of information | | | | buying technology necessary to help some students |
| and abilities. However, if the child suffers from an | | | | learn. |
| illness, injury, or condition that causes a disability, it can | | | | Under the IDEIA, the government also outlined |
| interfere with his or her ability absorb information in the | | | | potentially disabling problems more clearly. However, it |
| same way as non-disabled children. Special education | | | | is important to keep in mind that these disabilities affect |
| classes can help children with disabilities learn in a way | | | | children differently, meaning that a disabling case of |
| tailored to their needs. | | | | Autism may prevent one child from learning in a |
| In 1975, the U.S. government first legally addressed | | | | regular classroom, while another child may be able to |
| special education in public schools with the Education | | | | succeed in a regular classroom. Thus, it is up to |
| for All Handicapped Children Act, or EHA. This included | | | | parents as well as doctors and counselors to |
| both physically and mentally handicapped children. The | | | | determine the best way to address a child's |
| act stated that all schools receiving public funding must | | | | educational needs. |
| have programs specifically created for special needs | | | | Some of the disabilities detailed under IDEIA include: |
| children. These lesson plans were developed with the | | | | Autism |
| help of parents so that disabled children had as much | | | | Emotional disorders |
| of a normal education as possible. The EHA was | | | | Sensory disorders that affect vision, hearing, or speech |
| renamed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act | | | | capabilities |
| (IDEA) in 1990. | | | | Mental retardation |
| Later, in 2004, the government recognized the need to | | | | Developmental disorders |
| amend IDEA so that it better met the needs of | | | | Orthopedic impairments |
| disabled children and their education. This was called | | | | If your child has a disorder, you may be able to get him |
| the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement | | | | or her more help besides special education. If you can |
| Act, or IDEIA. IDEIA was signed into being in late 2004, | | | | prove the disability to the Social Security Administration, |
| and it was adopted in all states by 2006. | | | | your child may be entitled to disability coverage. To |
| To better address the education of disabled children, | | | | help you with this process, you should visit the website |
| the federal governments' IDEIA changed the law so | | | | of the long-term disability lawyers from the Charles D. |
| that states could apply for grants and other financial | | | | Hankey Law Office, P.C., for more information. |
| aid to help them develop special education programs in | | | | |