IDEA Introduction Transcript
Kennedy, M. J. (2011). CAP on IDEA. Vimeo. https://vimeo.com/19491639
We’ve created this transcript to ensure the accessibility of this course. We find it important to note that the content covered in the transcript is not our intellectual property and was authored by others.
Michael Kennedy: Hi everybody. This is the video podcast on the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004, although for our purposes, we’ll most commonly refer to this as IDEA.
When Congress was deciding to reauthorize IDEA in 2004, they were afraid that the expectations for students with disabilities were very low, and education of these students was not outcome oriented, but instead it was access oriented.
Congress was also afraid that teachers were not using evidence-based teaching practices when working with students with disabilities, and so as a result, IDEA reflects a movement to really do a better job of having outcomes, academically speaking and socially speaking, be the focus.
And so IDEA has four parts that we need to pay attention to. Part A is the definitions and rationale, and the first piece of the rationale is that disability is a natural part of the human condition, and it isn’t something to be afraid of.
The second rationale is that disability, and having a disability, does not, and should not restrict participation in society.
The third is that improving academic and social results for all citizens is a national priority, and this really links into Part B, which is why we have Part B of IDEA, the education of all school children, and as classroom school teachers, this is the IDEA we primarily deal with. This is why we have education for students with disabilities in public schools.
Part C we won’t typically deal with and we won’t have a lot to say about it this semester, but Part C of IDEA deals with the education of infants and toddlers and those at risk.
And then finally Part D is research and personnel preparation, and this influences you, by way, I am [slight pause] prepared under an IDEA personnel preparation grant, and now I’m reaching you, so in a way, IDEA Part D does influence you.
But the purpose of IDEA is to support the four federal outcomes for citizens with disabilities, and so let’s review. The first is we’re always seeking to have equality of opportunity, both in school and life for all citizens.
The second is full participation in all activities, both school-based and socially-based for citizens with disabilities.
The third is we’re looking for all citizens to have independent living and enjoy the life that any non-disabled person would have.
And then finally, economic self sufficiency: have a job, pay taxes and all of that good stuff.
We seek to achieve these four federal outcomes in part through what we call the six principles of IDEA. And the first principle is zero reject. And what that means is any individual regardless of disability and severity of disability will not be rejected from school for special education services. Any individual whether they can be-make good progress in the general education curriculum or not, will not be rejected, and that’s a very important principle of special education.
The second is non-discriminatory evaluation. Many individuals, say, from other cultures, speak other languages, come to America and to American schools, and that simply their language and pra- and cultural practices are a mismatch for how we, you know, do school here in America, and we often mistake that they are special education students, so we want to give them an evaluation that’s fair and in their actual first language.
The key part of special education as we’ve discussed is the individualized and appropriate education and we deliver that via the IEP and we make sure that the IEP reflects the actual needs of the student so they can make progress in the general education curriculum.
We wanna provide education in the least restrictive environment, which means we should find the place, hopefully it’s the general education curriculum, where the students, uh, educational needs can be met, and like I said, that hopefully that is the general education curriculum and classroom.
Procedural due process protects parents if schools are not providing an appropriate education in line with the student’s IEP. Parents have the right to go to trial, go to court, in order to ensure that the school, the school district, is providing the student with the procedural due process and safeguards that are necessary.
And the final principle of IDEA is parent participation. And as we know in both general and special education, participation from parents is a really critical part of education.
IDEA is a federal mandate, thus, its goals reflect the desires of Congress. And so what that looks like is we wanna provide a free and appropriate public education, often times called the FAPE, in order to make sure that all students are being protected and educated under IDEA.
The second is, Congress really wants to protect the rights of all citizens, not f-you know, necessarily from a civil rights stand point, but to ensure that all citizens are treated with dignity and respect, and given the education and the protection they deserve.
IDEA is intended to give state education agencies and local education agencies the support and help they need. That support can be in the fo-shape of money, professional development and other kinds of training.
IDEA is intended to support cross agency collaboration, so when an individual requires school-based, home-based, medical services, social welf-welfare type services, anything that requires the professionals from these various fields to work together for the education of a child, IDEA works to support that.
IDEA wants to make sure that both parents and teachers have the right tools and training in order to successfully work with all students with disabilities. That’s a very important part of IDEA.
And finally, of course, the purpose is to provide access for individuals with disabilities to make sure they have access to the training and opportunities for s-full participation.
