The ADA is a very broad law that includes almost all parts of life in the U.S. It covers employment practices, access to public services and facilities, state and local government operations, transportation, education, service animals and more. Even with this much coverage there are other laws that may apply alongside the ADA or instead of the ADA. At the Center we get many questions that are outside the limits of the ADA. We try to refer our callers to other resources that can provide information on their specific area of interest. Here is a new resource from the Department of Education.
One law that can overlap with the ADA is the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a law “that makes available a free appropriate public education to eligible children with disabilities throughout the nation and ensures special education and related services to those children.” Infants and toddlers, birth through age 2, with disabilities and their families receive early intervention services under IDEA Part C. Children and youth ages 3 through 21 receive special education and related services under IDEA Part B.
The U.S. Department of Education (ED) has recently released a guidance package designed to increase understanding of the IDEA’s assistive technology (AT) requirements. From the Office of Educational Technology and the Office of Special Education Programs, the package helps to dispel common misconceptions about AT, and provide examples of the use of AT devices and services for children with disabilities. It also highlights the different AT requirements under Part C and Part B of IDEA.
This package includes two parts:
- A joint Dear Colleague Letter from Glenna Wright-Gallo, Assistant Secretary of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), and Roberto J. Rodríguez, Assistant Secretary of the Office of Planning, Evaluation, and Policy Development, announcing the release of the guidance package:
- “High quality educational opportunities should be accessible to all learners, and emerging technologies hold promise to transform instruction and learning while reducing barriers.”
- A guidance document dispelling common misconceptions regarding AT: "Myths and Facts Surrounding Assistive Technology Devices and Services":
- “This document is intended for a wide range of individuals including parents, early intervention service providers, special educators, general educators, related services personnel, school and district administrators, technology specialists and directors, and employees at State lead agencies and educational agencies.”
Learn more by visiting the ED’s AT and IDEA resource page.
You can also learn about the release of the National Education Technology Plan, which provides actionable recommendations to address digital use, design, and access divides in education.