View in EDS HTML Full Text PDF Full Text

Driving Special Education Law: The Gears of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Driving Special Education Law: The Gears of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act
Language: English
Authors: Andrew M. Markelz (ORCID 0000-0003-1477-6566)
Source: TEACHING Exceptional Children. 2026 58(3):146-154.
Availability: SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: https://sagepub.com
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 9
Publication Date: 2026
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Descriptive
Tests/Questionnaires
Descriptors: Students with Disabilities, Individualized Education Programs, Educational Legislation, Equal Education, Federal Legislation, Special Education, Access to Education, Student Rights, Student Evaluation, Progress Monitoring, Inclusion, Regular and Special Education Relationship, Family Involvement
Laws, Policies and Program Identifiers: Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act 2004
DOI: 10.1177/00400599251368779
ISSN: 0040-0599
2163-5684
Abstract: Special educators are responsible for developing and delivering individualized education programs to students with disabilities that meet procedural and substantive requirements of the individuals with disabilities education act (IDEA). Although the six major provisions of IDEA are often taught in isolation, this article reimagines free appropriate public education (FAPE), nondiscriminatory evaluations, individualized education programs (IEPs), the least restrictive environment (LRE), family participation, and procedural safeguards as interconnected gears. Each gear collectively contributes to the definition of FAPE for individual students in special education. A framework for holistically approaching special education law is discussed and a checklist for evaluating the meaningfulness and legal defensibility of IEPs is presented.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2026
Accession Number: EJ1500446
Database: ERIC
Full text is not displayed to guests.
Description
Abstract:Special educators are responsible for developing and delivering individualized education programs to students with disabilities that meet procedural and substantive requirements of the individuals with disabilities education act (IDEA). Although the six major provisions of IDEA are often taught in isolation, this article reimagines free appropriate public education (FAPE), nondiscriminatory evaluations, individualized education programs (IEPs), the least restrictive environment (LRE), family participation, and procedural safeguards as interconnected gears. Each gear collectively contributes to the definition of FAPE for individual students in special education. A framework for holistically approaching special education law is discussed and a checklist for evaluating the meaningfulness and legal defensibility of IEPs is presented.
ISSN:0040-0599
2163-5684
DOI:10.1177/00400599251368779