PRAXIS Teaching Students w/Vis Impair (5282) -Laws

Focuses on the laws that shaped the Special Education Field

The Federal Act to Promote the Education of the Blind was enacted by Congress in 1879 

• Provides Quota Funds  through American Printing House for the Blind (APH) 

• Provides materials for students who are blind and visually impaired through federal funds. 

The Education for All Handicapped Children Act or Public Law (PL) 94-142 (1975) 

This act required all public schools accepting federal funds to provide equal access to education and one free meal a day for children with physical and mental disabilities.  

1986 Education of the Handicap Amendment or Public Law 99-457 

Required states to make available appropriate and free public education to children ages 3 through 5 who have disabilities.  

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) (1990) 

• Requires all public areas to be made accessible to people with disabilities 

• Ensures that people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunities as everyone else in regard to employment, public services, telecommunications, public transportation 

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act 

Requires all government Buildings be made handicap accessible 

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) or (Public Law No. 94-142) 1990 

• Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) 

• Appropriate Evaluation 

• Individualized Education Plan (IEP) 

• Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) 

• Parent Participation 

• Procedural Safeguards  

Individuals with Disabilities Education Amendments of 1997 or (Public Law 105-17) 

• Focuses on Transition 

• Parent Notification 

No Child Left Behind Act of 2001(NCLB) 

• High Standards and measurable goals for all students 

• Inclusion of Students with Disabilities in General Education 

• Access to the same standards regardless of disabilities 

• Inclusion of students with disabilities in state testing 

IDEA Improvement Act of 2004  

• More funding to early intervention 

• Measurable post secondary transition goals in the IEP 

• More Transition services 

Title IX of the Education amendments of 1972 

Prohibits discrimination based on sex in any federally funded education program or activity 

Purpose of Special Education

• Ensure that all students eligible for
  Special Education have a free
  appropriate public education (FAPE) that
  provides special designed instruction and
  related services designed to meet their
  unique needs and prepare them for
  further education, employment, and
  independent living.

• Ensure student and parent rights are
  protected.

• Assess and ensure the effectiveness of
  the IEP.

Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka (1954)

“separate but equal” (i.e., segregation by race) is not constitutional 
 

PARC (Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Children) v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (PARC), 1971

“uneducable” or “untrainable” students can not be excluded from public education 

Mills v. Board of Education (1972)

• broadens the scope of PARC to included students with other disabilities,

• all children of school age should be provided with free and suitable public education, and

• no exclusion due to insufficient funds 

Public Law 94-142 also known as “Education For All
Handicapped Children Act”

This law was reauthorized and expanded as the
“Individuals with Disabilities Education Act” (IDEA) in 1990.

Major tenants of IDEA

Applies to children ages 3 - 21
Zero reject - Non exclusionary education
FAPE - Free appropriate public education
LRE - Least restrictive environment
Nondiscriminatory evaluation
Due process
Transition planning
Advocacy
Confidentiality
Noncompliance - lawsuits
Person first language

FAPE

Free appropriate public education

LRE

Least restrictive environment

Who is eligible for services under IDEA?

Students who demonstrate the characteristics of any of the previous categories IF their disability adversely impacts educational performance and requires specialized instruction.

What if the disability does not affect academic achievement?

• Students are NOT eligible for services under IDEA

• They may receive services under Section 504 of the Vocational

• Rehabilitation Act (1973) Section 504 covers many more students than IDEA

Major Tenants of Section 504

• Prevents discrimination by any organization
  receiving federal funds

• Defines a handicapped person as “Any
  person who has a physical or mental
  impairment which substantially limits one or
  more major life activities”

• Students served under IDEA are also eligible
  for 504

• Both laws mandate FAPE

• IDEA requires an individual education
  program (IEP) while 504 requires schools to
  demonstrate how services are being provided

Major Tenants of ADA (1990)

• Maximize the employment potential of
  individuals with disabilities.

• Provide “reasonable accommodations” in
  the workplace.

• Employers may not ask if an individual has
  a disability and may not discriminate
  against persons who have a disability.

• Colleges and universities must provide
  appropriate modifications

• Telecommunications must be accessible to
  individuals who are deaf

Disability Categories in PA

Autism
Specific learning disability
Emotional disturbance
Speech or language
impairment
Orthopedic impairment
Other Health impairement
Intellectual Disability
Multiple disabilities

Hearing impairment
Deafness
Visually impairment /
blindness
Deafblindness
Traumatic brain injury
Developmentally
Delayed (age 3 - 9)

Special Education Services in PA

Autistic support
Learning support
Life Skills support
Emotional Support
Blind-visually impaired support
Deaf & hard of hearing support
Multiple disabilities support
Physical support
Speech & Language support

Supplementary Aids and Services

Children with disabilities must be provided with support services that assist them in benefiting educationally from their instructional program.

Assessment

An assessment must be completed to determine the child’s needs. This may be done only with the parent’s informed written consent.

Due process

Due process rights ensure that no changes can be made in a child’s program without prior notice to the parents. Further, due process provides a mechanism for the resolution of disagreements.

AFB acronym

American Foundation for the Blind
■ A non-profit organization for people with vision loss.
■ Their website contains news, information, and a store where textbooks
and publications can be purchased

APH acronym

American Printing House for the Blind
■ Sells products that can be used specifically for those with visual
impairments

NLS acronym

National Library Service
■ A free braille and talking book library reserve

BANA acronym

BANA- Braille Authority of North America
Provides guidelines for braille

IFSP acronym

Individualized Family Service Plan
■ Provided if a child in a home is found eligible for early intervention
services
■ Provides necessary services to the whole family

CEC-DVIDB acronym

Council for Exceptional Children Division on Visual Impairments
and Deafblindness
■ Hosts the national conference

AER acronym

Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually
Impaired
■ Hosts conferences for professional and career development

UEB acronym

Unified English Braille

ADA acronym

Americans with Disabilities Act

TVI acronym

Teacher of Students who are Visually Impaired

Provide direct and/or consultative special education services specific to
vision loss. The TVI provides support to students, teachers, and parents
and acts as a liaison with community services

O&M acronym

Orientation and Mobility Specialist

Specialists teach individuals with visual impairments to travel safely,
confidently and independently in their environment.

VRT acronym

Vision Rehabilitation Therapist

Teaches adaptive independent living skills that allow people (usually
adults) to perform a wide range of daily living activities

OT acronym

OT- Occupational Therapist

treat injured, ill, or disabled patients through the therapeutic use of
everyday activities. They help these patients develop, recover, improve,
as well as maintain the skills needed for daily living and working

SP acronym

Speech Pathologist

assess, diagnose, treat, and help to prevent communication and
swallowing disorders in children and adults.

NFB acronym

National Federation of the Blind
■ An organization that provides informational resources, as well as white
canes.
■ They host conventions and events, as well as have programs to help
people with visual impairments

BBVS acronym

Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services
■ Gives people with blindness and visual impairment in Pennsylvania free
assistance including counseling, mobility instruction, vocational and

college training, job placement, blindness skills training, and providing
necessary technologies

PATTAN

Pennsylvania Training and Technical Assistance Network
■ Provides professional development and technical assistance

CHARGE acronym

C- coloboma
H- heart defects
A- atresia choanae
R- growth retardation
E- ear abnormalities

PARC vs. PA commonwealth

In 1971, Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Children (PARC) v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the first right-to-education suit in the country, to overturn that Pennsylvania law and secure a quality education for all children. The case quickly settled before the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pa., resulting in a consent decree in which the state agreed to provide a free public education for children with mental retardation. That decree and many of the procedural protections in it became the basis for the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (PL 94-142) enacted in 1975.