As a special education inclusion teacher, one of the many acts that reformed education that impacts me is the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1975, or IDEA. “The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) ensures that all children with disabilities are entitled to a free appropriate public education to meet their unique needs and prepare them for further education, employment, and independent living.” (Loewenberg, n.d.) IDEA changed the way that students with disabilities in public schools were served, and would be served in the years to come. “Prior to IDEA, over 4 million children with disabilities were denied appropriate access to public education. Many children were denied entry into public school altogether, while others were placed in segregated classrooms, or in regular classrooms without adequate support for their special needs.” (Loewenberg, n.d.) Due to the segregation of these students, and following Brown v. Board Of Education and the Civil Rights Movement, parents decided to turn to congress for help in getting these students the education they deserved. By passing IDEA, students with disabilities, as well as their parents, were protected. The students were entitled to a free education in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE). This meant that these children with disabilities would be …show more content…
This did not change the curriculum, as it only modified it so that those students with disabilities could receive the same education, just with support. However, it changed the way that students were served. There were special education classrooms specifically for students with disabilities, and there were special education teachers who provided support to those who were able to perform in a general education