In most school systems in the United States, interscholastic sporting events and other extracurricular activities help bring people together while enhancing opportunities for students to become integral parts of their communities. Because of the important role that extracurricular activities, especially sports, play in the lives of students,…

June 22, 2007, was the 25th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in Board of Education of the Hendrick Hudson Central School District v. Rowley (hereafter Rowley; 1982). In Rowley, the Supreme Court interpreted congressional intent in requiring that public schools provide a free appropriate public education (FAPE) to students with…

Providing appropriate programs for young children with disabilities is a priority of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1990 (IDEA), recently reauthorized as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA) of 2004. The IDEIA requires that programs be provided in natural or least restrictive environments, and…

Inclusion of students with disabilities, especially those with mental retardation, has come to mean the placement of all students in general education classrooms, sometimes with limited planning for the individual needs of each student. Several court cases, laws, and movements have brought about the level of inclusion that exists today. However,…

This article discusses how the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) encourages educational reform if that reform is guided by research and improves special education for children with disabilities and examines how the IDEA discourages educational practices that minimize the individual needs of the disabled through standardization of…

This paper reviews the Supreme Court's Zebley decision which expanded the definition of disability in young children by including functional equivalence; compares regulations and practices under the Social Security Administration and Part H of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act; and offers guidelines concerning the intent of the law,…

Intended for direct service special education personnel, the paper traces the origin of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (P.L. 94-142); examines the legislation and litigation which preceded its enactment; discusses its funding mechanism; reviews its relationship to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973; and looks at several…

In describing the implications for public schools of P.L. 94-142, The Education for All Handicapped Children Act. The booklet cites reactions of local and state administrators, supervisors, and classroom teachers. The first chapter details the content of P.L. 94-142, provides comments from lawmakers and educators, and lists questions and answers…

The illustrated pamphlet briefly reviews the laws relevant to the obligations of those responsible for educating, habilitating, and employing hearing impaired developmentally disabled persons. Aspects discussed include the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (P.L. 94-142), Sections 503 and 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, federal…

Intended for parents, the manual discusses in detail the education of handicapped children, with a focus on the state of Texas. Section 1 provides basic information and covers such aspects as basic laws and regulations--including the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (P.L. 94-142), case law, and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of…

Mentally retarded individuals are often stigmatized and segregated, though constitutional guarantees in many countries promise them equality. Use of the U.S. court system to secure these guarantees, resulting in deinstitutionalization, individualization of services, and increased employment opportunities, is analyzed and contrasted with the…

Presents a historical overview of state and federal legislation concerning special education, describes how court litigation has defined the constitutional rights of the disabled to access education, and outlines the provisions of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The procedural safeguards of the IDEA also are outlined,…