Laws to Support Special Education

The Education for All Handicapped Children Act (Original Name)

First passed in 1975, this law was created to help protect the rights of persons with disabilities. Before this law was passed, children were denied education plans. "It requires that schools provide an appropriate educational service for all children with disabilities between the ages of 3 and 21."[17] The funds used to support this law are granted to the states. In order for states to receive the funds required to build these educational opportunities within school systems, schools have to met specific guidelines that the federal government has set. It provides a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) for those who previously could not access educational services. This law also requires that all hearing aids and cochlear implants are functioning properly. This law is reviewed every few years.

Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)

This law focused on children who are deaf or deafened, but children with disabilities are also considered in this register. This takes a look to focus on the communication needs and preferred method of communication that is used with the child and the family. Hearing loss is looked at by severity and what potential of residual hearing is eligible to be used. Where the child scored academic level is taken into consideration. The needs of the child, social, emotional, and cultural aspects of their lives, plus opportunities for peer interactions are more factors to consider on whether or not a child needs to be put in a least restrictive environment.

What is an Individualized Education Plan? (IEP)

In the state of Michigan, Individualized Education Plans are "written documents for students with disabilities ages 3 through 25 that outlines the student's educational needs and goals and any programs and services the intermediate school district and/or its member district will provide to help the student made educational progress."[18] In this document must be measurable goals, annual and short-term objectives. These long-and short-term goals must have some type of substantive compliance stating purposes of educational benefit.

Programs and services cover a large list of individuals. When an individual qualifies for an IEP, the members of this team are required to give a list of all the specific supplementary aids and services, based on peer-reviewed research. These aids must provide an advancement towards attaining the annual goals, be involved in and make progress in general curriculum, allow the student to participate in extracurricular and other nonacademic activities, and lastly, be educated and participate with other students with or without disabilities.

Modifications for students with an IEP can be made to help with homework assignments, content of the course they are in, and/or the educational standards that the student is expected to master. This is to help the student with disabilities who can receive modifications who are unable to or demonstrate proficiency in the general education curriculum an opportunity to try things out before making changes to their plan.[19]