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NICHCY > Educate Children (3 to 22)
Educate Children (3 to 22) 
 

Boy getting off school busThe education of children with disabilities is a top national priority. Our nation's special education law, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), sets high standards for their achievement and guides how special help and services are made available in schools to address their individual needs.

More than 6 million children with disabilities receive special education and related services in our schools each year. To learn more about these vital services, explore the topics below.

The 10 Basic Steps in Special Education

Wondering what special education is all about? What it involves, how a child becomes eligible for this special help in school? Want the short story version, not the encyclopedia? Then come here for a to-the-point overview of the 10 basic steps involved.

Q & A Series on IDEA

Visit our evolving series of Q&As on IDEA 2004 for a brief, to-the-point look at specific topics. At the moment, there are 2 Q&As available: (1) IDEA's Purposes and Key Definitions; and (2) Parent Participation.

Special Education Services for Preschoolers with Disabilities

What services are available for preschoolers who are experiencing developmental delays? Where can families, childcare providers, and educators find help and support?

Evaluating Children for Disability

Before a child may receive special education and related services for the first time, a full and individual initial evaluation of the child must be conducted in order to see if the child has a disability and if he or she is eligible for special education. Find out all about the evaluation process here.

All About the IEP

Every child receiving special education services under IDEA must have an IEP—Individualized Education Program—a written document that details the services and supports the child will receive. Come here to learn all about IEPs —what the law requires, what information a typical IEP contains, how IEPs are developed, and so on.

Placement Issues

Where will a student with a disability receive his or her special education and related services? IDEA requires placement in the least restrictive environment (LRE) for each child, a setting that is based on the child's IEP. Find out who decides placement and how they decide it.

Supports, Modifications, and Accommodations for Students

 There are many powerful ways to support children with disabilities in regular classrooms and school activities. Adaptations and modifications, designed to fit a student’s needs, can make all the difference in the world!

Effective Practices in the Classroom and School

Connect with special education's knowledge base on effective educational practices at the classroom level and across an entire school.

Resolving Disputes Between Parents and Schools

When disagreements occur between the parents of a child with disability and the school, both can turn to IDEA’s dispute resolution options. Find out more about these options here.

Transition to Adulthood

Youth with disabilities need to plan ahead for their transition from high school to the adult world of postsecondary education or vocational training, employment, independent living, and community participation. The law mandates it, in fact! Enter here if you'd like to connect with a wealth of materials and knowledge.

Related Information

OSEP Resources

Related publications, presentations, and other resources from OSEP’s TA&D Network

Readers are encouraged to copy and share this information, but please credit the National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY). NICHCY relies on feedback from users to enhance our collection, development, and dissemination of information. We encourage you to share your ideas and feedback with us! Please contact us at our email address (nichcy@aed.org) or visit the NICHCY Feedback Page at: www.nichcy.org/Pages/Feedback.aspx.

NICHCY thanks our Project Officer, Dr. Judy L. Shanley, at the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), U.S. Department of Education.

Publication of this Web resource page is made possible through Cooperative Agreement #H326N030003 between the Academy for Educational Development and the Office of Special Education Programs of the U.S. Department of Education. The contents of this document do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the Department of Education, nor does mention of trade names, commercial products, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

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