Definition: An act passed initially in 1975 mandating that children with special education needs have access to the same public school education that every other American student enjoys. All children with disabilities are to be educated to the "maximum extent" with children who do not have disabilities. -Federal Law I.D.E.A. Sec. 612.5 (A)

If a child has one or more of the following disabilities, the school district can obtain federal and state funding for services it provides for the child: Autism, Chronic or Acute Health, Cognitive Impairment, Learning Disabilities, Emotional/Behavior Disorders, Hearing and Visual Impairments, Traumatic Brain Injury.