Disabilities

Before the enactment of IDEA, society and schools were unequipped and often unwilling to provide services to students with disabilities. The history of special education can be characterized as one of evolving perceptions, attitudes and resources allotted to individuals with disabilities. In 1975, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was enacted to ensure that students with disabilities are afforded a free appropriate public education. Some of the disabilities included in the statue include hearing and visual impairments, emotional disturbance, speech or language impairment, autism, traumatic brain injury and specific learning disability ( ). The percentage of students receiving special education services increased from 8.3 percent to 13 percent between 1975 and 2011 (U.S. Dept. of Ed). School districts and states seem to vary widely in the number of students eligible to receive services. For the 2009-2010 school year, in Rhode Island over 18 percent of its student body received special-education services, whereas in the state of Texas, only 9 percent of its student body received special-education services (Scull & Winkler, 2011).

The single largest disability is specific learning disability. In 2009-2010, approximately forty percent of special education students were classified as having a learning disability (Aron & Loprest, 2012). It is not clear if the increase in students receiving special education services is a reflection of early identification of problems or an increase in factors that contribute to disabilities.

As the special education population has grown, so too have the costs. On average, a special education student costs twice as much to educate as a “regular” student

The term exc...

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...o help that child overcome barriers to learning and have a greater chance for a successful learning experience.

Fordham authors observe, “"Special education, like general education, needs a makeover for the 21st century. Its service models, instructional strategies, funding, identification methods, disability definitions, [Individualized Education Program] protocols, and so on, no longer serve the needs of truly disabled youngsters.”

The future of special education is at the heart of a contentious debate. Despite the advances and successes in special education, adequate and appropriate funding remains an issue. Standardized assessments, staffing, individualized educational plans and other issues influence the future and evolution of special education ( ). In order to sustain the current level of implementation, more funding is required.