The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a vital law for families of children with disabilities and for students with disabilities. It is through IDEA that students who are blind or visually impaired have access to curriculum materials, instruction in Braille literacy, training in and opportunities to use assistive and adaptive technologies, and orientation and mobility training which teaches students essential skills of negotiating their environment without vision so they can travel independently. This law has the potential to provide students who are blind and visually impaired with the skills and knowledge they need to become productive, contributing members of society.
This year marks the reauthorization of IDEA. The end result of this year's deliberations on IDEA legislation will have a profound, direct affect on the education of every student with a disability. ACB is pleased to present the following IDEA proposals to you for your careful consideration.
Earlier this year, the House of Representatives passed HR1350, entitled Improving Educational Results for Children with Disabilities, which reauthorizes IDEA. However, HR1350 fails to address many of the key needs of students with disabilities. In contrast, The Senate's IDEA reauthorization bill, S1248 contains several provisions which, if enacted, would go a long way toward ensuring that a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) is available to every child who is blind or visually impaired.
ACB supports the following provisions of S1248:
· Sec. 602(25) which ensures that "orientation and mobility" and "travel training" instruction are recognized as distinct disciplines in the IDEA definition of "related services"
· Sec. 612(a)(2) and Sec. 613(a)(6) which clarify the relationship between state and local education agencies and publishers of instructional materials to ensure that required textbooks and related materials are made available to students with disabilities in a timely manner;
· Sec. 614(d)(3)(B)(iii)(II) which ensures that socialization and independent living skills, orientation and mobility, and skills in the use of assistive technology including low vision devices, are among the instructional services that receive special consideration in the development of IEPS for children who are blind or visually impaired; and
· Sec. 675 which creates both a uniform national standard for electronic textbook files prepared by publishers and a central repository for such files to facilitate efficient access by state and local education agencies, as well as those entities which produce materials in alternate formats such as Braille, large print and audiocassette, for students who are blind or have other print disabilities.
ACB Also supports mandatory funding for Part B of IDEA. ACB opposes any and all provisions in IDEA reauthorization that will undermine students' and family's due process rights, the rights of students and parents to fully participate in IEP Process and the right for families and students to have access to attorneys and advocates. Finally ACB opposes any "paperwork reduction" efforts that will adversely affect the rights of students with disabilities.
For further information about these issues, please contact: Melanie Brunson, Acting Executive Director.