Bright IDEA

On December 2, 1975, President Gerald Ford signed our nation’s first special education law into effect. It was then referred to as the Education for All Handicapped Children Act. The law is known today as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). IDEA has made education possible for all children in the United States. National Special Education Day was first celebrated on December 2, 2005, 30 years after its inception, as a way to honor all the progress that had been made.

Prior to 1975, only 1 in every 5 disabled children attended public school. Many states excluded children with disabilities from attending their schools. Doctors often advised parents who had children with a disability to give their children up for adoption, causing great separation within families. More often than not, this left the children in unfathomable living conditions, often without access to education or proper medical care. Some parents kept their children at home but received little or no support to meet the complex needs of their children. Students with learning disabilities often had them go undiagnosed. If they did attend school, they often did not receive specialized services to help them gain the tools they needed to learn things the way they needed to.

From the time that IDEA became a law, schools could no longer deny education to students with disabilities. Schools in every state were mandated to provide education to all students until graduation, or when the student turns 21 years old, whichever came first and served the individual student’s needs best. Schools were also mandated to implement individualized education programs (IEP’s), which are developed using a team-based approach composed of parents or guardians, teachers, special education teachers, or other staff members that are central to the student’s educational process.

A parent advocate can also be extremely beneficial in attending these meetings, to serve as a support to the parent or guardian, as well as a voice for the student if they are not able to attend. Advocates are extremely knowledgeable about what services school systems must provide, and how these services can fit based on the student’s needs. Also, advocates can be helpful with going through the IEP with the parent/guardian to ensure that they understand what they are signing, and what is to be put in place that the school is obligated to provide. However, the advocate is only there to assist, support, and empower; they are not there to interject unnecessarily.

International Day of Persons with Disabilities

In 1976, the United Nations General Assembly declared the International Year of Disabled Persons (IYDP). IYDP called for a plan of action on all levels of government, with an emphasis on equal opportunities and rehabilitation for individuals with disabilities. The theme of IYDP was “full participation and equality for all,” defined as the right of persons with disabilities to be able to access and fully participate in all aspects of the development of their communities. This included access to accessible living, as well as an equal voice in improved conditions resulting from socio-economic development.

From 1983 to 1992, the government, as well as disability organizations, implemented numerous educational and community-building activities. The General Assembly called this the United Nations Decade of Disabled Persons. International Day of Persons with Disabilities is celebrated on December 3rd each year. This day started annually in 1992, as an international day of observance promoted by the United Nations.

International Day of Persons with Disabilities has been celebrated in various ways around the world. It aims to promote an understanding of the various disability issues and mobilize support for the dignity, rights, and well-being of persons with disabilities. Each year the day focuses on a different disability. It also seeks to increase awareness of gains caused by the integration of persons with disabilities in every aspect of political, social, economic, and cultural life. It was originally called “International Day of Disabled Persons,” until 2007, in order to incorporate person-first language.

This year, the theme was “transformation toward sustainable and resilient society for all.” Much like the first International Year for Disabled Persons, the theme of “full participation and equality for all” is one that we continue to make improvements on. It is my hope that one-day acceptance and equality truly transcend all platforms, whether it is based on educational needs or accessibility needs, and everything in between.