Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Links:

Please use the link the right to access The Special Ed Advocate/Wrightslaw to access the actual text of the special education laws. In addtition, Wrightslaw is an excellent resource for information on the latest court battles and answers to your special education questions.

Below is a brief summary of IDEA, ADA, & the Tech Act:

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

In 2004 IDEA was passed into law as an amendment to the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975. IDEA expanded the educational rights for disabled individuals by setting high standards for accessible education. The act outlines the rights of disabled students in the Individual Education Plan (IEP) process, their right to due process if rights are violated, and for discipline issues.

For a detailed summary of IDEA in the areas discussed above, please refer to the FAPE.org* website.

*FAPE (Families and Advocates Partnership for Education) is an informational website that specifically explores IDEA for families of disable children.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

The ADA provides civil rights for individuals with disabilities. Under the ADA act, a disability is defined as “any condition that impairs major life activities such as seeing, hearing, walking, or working.”

The ADA plays into the education arena by mandating accessibility and accommodations for individuals with disabilities in public facilities such as schools. In addition, the act provides rights to parents who wish to participate in their child’s school environment.

The Assistive Technology Act and Technology-Related Assistance for Individuals with Disabilities Act (TECH Act)

This relatively new act provides federal funds to “assist states in developing easily accessible systems of access to assistive technology, technology services, and information”(www.ataccess.org).

Notable is the act’s use of the words “consumer-responsive,” to describe the mandated technological systems. In other words, the system had to be responsive to the needs, concerns, and requests of the disabled population.

In addition, the act details the role of assistive technology, which can include all devices that “increases, maintains, or improves functional capabilities of individuals with disabilities”. Assistive technology can include a high-tech device such as a screen reader for a computer, or even a non-tech device such as a customized seat for a wheelchair.

Lastly, each state has its own tech agency. These tech agencies are available to the public for assistance in accessing devices that improve disabled individuals' standard of living. These agencies can also provide resources for funding the purchase of needed equipment.