IDEA/Special Education

IDEA, which stands for Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, protects individuals with disabilities. IDEA was first passed in 1975. If a student has disabilities that qualify them to be protected by IDEA, the school is required to provide the child with special education and any support services like physical therapy or speech therapy. A student can qualify to be protected by IDEA if they fall under one of the thirteen categories. A few examples of the categories are autism, multiple disabilities, and hearing impairment. IDEA protects students with disabilities up until high school. When teachers make lesson plans, they should keep in mind how their lesson will support children with disabilities within their classroom.
I grew up with having a special needs brother. He was born with down syndrome and autism.  My parents were new to the special needs world and IDEA helped my parents find the right tools for my brother. Because of IDEA, my parents were able to find speech therapy that was appropriate for my little brother. My parents also received help by having a bus pick up my little brother, no matter how far away he lived from the school. I have seen first hand how IDEA has helped my little brother by giving him support in school with special classes like how to brush his teeth and go to the bathroom. After doing more research on IDEA, I saw that it covers students up until high school. If IDEA was expanded to college students, how would that look like? What changes would colleges have to make? Can colleges include special education classrooms?

Special needs child doing classwork.