IDEA and Inclusive Education

Federal mandates, most notably the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), guarantee education rights for children classified under one of the 13 categories of disabilities, ensuring that they are educated with their peers in the general education classroom as much as possible based on their ability and needs. State educational agencies and local educational agencies are responsible for ensuring that the pedagogical needs of all children with a disability are met in accordance with the law. This chapter discusses IDEA and the concept of inclusion and how special and general educators must increase their efforts to promote and support equitable opportunities for all students.

Sexual Abuse Among Individuals With Disabilities

The chapter addresses the concept of sexual abuse among individual with disabilities across lifespan, barriers to reporting of sexual abuse, its impact on the psychological and physical health, characteristics of perpetuators of sexual abuse, importance of family in prevention and protection of individuals with disability.

Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Disability Categories

This chapter is a collection of case studies, discussion questions, and enrichment activities addressing each of the 13 disabilities covered under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), in addition to the disability categories of dyslexia and developmental delay. These case studies, questions, and enrichment activities address services that occur in a wide variety of public school settings. The purpose of this chapter is to serve as a supplemental text to courses in special education, psychology, counseling, nursing, and social work. Currently, there are scarce supplemental application resources available to instructors who are conducting teacher preparation courses and other disability-related courses.

Disability as a Social Justice Imperative

Educators in the United States have the legal obligation to ensure that students with disabilities are given equitable access to an education. Under the Individuals with Education Act (2004), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (1973), and the Americans with Disabilities Act (1990), individuals with disabilities cannot be discriminated against based on their disability and must be provided the same educational opportunities as their non-disabled counterparts. While most teacher preparation programs as well as educators in higher education are knowledgeable of these laws, there is a striking absence of learning about the historical implication of segregation, abuse, and maltreatment of individuals with disabilities that led to these laws being enacted. Most teacher preparation programs do not teach future educators about the history regarding disability rights and the social construct of disability. This chapter will present the major theoretical and historical movements in the disability rights movement, as well as the practical implications for educators today.

Employing Disability Simulations and Virtual Reality Technology to Foster Cognitive and Affective Empathy Towards Individuals With Disabilities

The chapter will begin by defining empathy and theory of mind (ToM), key constructs for showcasing the importance of simulations and immersive experiences to help typical children better understand the lived experiences of individuals with disabilities. The authors will delineate strengths and limitations associated with Autism, ADHD, Visual, Hearing and Physical Impairment. Next, the chapter will introduce Affect/Effort Theory to demonstrate how formulating positive expectancies of individuals with disabilities will be critical to interest typical children in their peers with disabilities. Moreover, the chapter will highlight the strengths, limitations and best practices for optimizing VRT and disability simulations to enhance typical children's knowledge, intentions and attitudes towards peers with disabilities. Finally, the authors will share qualitative data from a pilot disability simulation of eight children in third through sixth grade from a Camp in Liberty, NY. The results will be discussed in light of future possibilities for effective VRT-based disability simulations.