Which law is designed to prevent segregation of students with disabilities and ensure appropriate education?

Which law is designed to prevent segregation of students with disabilities and ensure appropriate education?

• A. Americans with Disabilities Act
• B. IDEA
• C. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
• D. FERPA

Answer: (B)

The key idea here is how a law ensures that students with disabilities get a real, appropriate education without being unnecessarily kept apart from their peers. The law that does this by requiring a free appropriate public education (FAPE) and mandating an individualized plan with services and placement in the least restrictive environment is the one designed to prevent segregation and provide proper supports. This framework creates an Individualized Education Program (IEP) for each student, outlining goals, services, accommodations, and how placement with nondisabled peers will be pursued to the greatest extent possible. Other laws address disability rights more broadly or protect privacy, but they don't establish the specific process for special education evaluation, IEPs, and mandated placements. For example, one law prohibits discrimination and requires accessible environments in many settings, including schools, but it doesn’t mandate the detailed special education services or the IEP framework. Another law focuses on preventing discrimination and ensuring accommodations, not the full provision of specially designed instruction. And a different statute governs the privacy of student records, not educational services.

The key idea here is how a law ensures that students with disabilities get a real, appropriate education without being unnecessarily kept apart from their peers. The law that does this by requiring a free appropriate public education (FAPE) and mandating an individualized plan with services and placement in the least restrictive environment is the one designed to prevent segregation and provide proper supports. This framework creates an Individualized Education Program (IEP) for each student, outlining goals, services, accommodations, and how placement with nondisabled peers will be pursued to the greatest extent possible.

Other laws address disability rights more broadly or protect privacy, but they don't establish the specific process for special education evaluation, IEPs, and mandated placements. For example, one law prohibits discrimination and requires accessible environments in many settings, including schools, but it doesn’t mandate the detailed special education services or the IEP framework. Another law focuses on preventing discrimination and ensuring accommodations, not the full provision of specially designed instruction. And a different statute governs the privacy of student records, not educational services.