Autism Awareness

The Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) was most recently revised in 2004 (and, in fact, renamed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act, but most people still refer to it as IDEA). The law mandates that the state provide all eligible children with a free and appropriate public education that meets their unique individual needs. The IDEA specifies that a child is legally entitled to receive early intervention services or special education services if the child meets the state eligibility requirements that define disability. Autism is mentioned specifically in the IDEA as a condition that constitutes a disability. Therefore, if your child has been diagnosed with an ASD, this diagnosis is generally sufficient to determine that your child is entitled to the rights afforded by the IDEA.The IDEA establishes an explicit role for you as a parent in planning and monitoring your child's individual education program. You are entitled to be treated as an equal partner in deciding on an educational plan that contains the elements that your child needs. This provision enables you to be a powerful advocate for your child. It also means that you, as a parent, must be not only an active participant, but an informed and knowledgeable participant of the IDEA process as well.