Since 1975, the implementation of the Least Restrictive Environment, a federal mandate of Public Law 94-142, has been historically challenging for physical educators and adapted physical educators. Confusion and misinterpretation of the law's intent, as well as competing ideologies, have perpetuated failed Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)…

The purpose of this paper is to trace the historical trajectory of special education and how societal perspectives influenced the special education movement. It aims to answer if special education and inclusion have achieved their goals for all individuals, especially those with disabilities. A review of historical trends, special education laws,…

The principal is the key element in shaping and sustaining educational programs that provide children with disabilities the opportunity to be educated in the general education setting. Federal mandates require compliance in educational services for children with disabilities. This has changed the role of principals in education. As schools strive…

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEIA 2004) dictates that children with disabilities, ages 3-5, must be provided educational services through the public school setting. Like their peers ages 5 and older, these children are subject to the legal requirement of being educated in the least restrictive environment…

The lack of clear language in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which is the federal law that governs the provision of special education and related services to children with disabilities in the USA, has led to inconsistencies in school districts' decisions regarding the least restrictive environment (LRE). This uncertainty…

Collaboration in education is seen as a legal mandate, best practice in teacher practice, and necessary for the inclusion of children with special needs. Over the years, there have been a number of evolutionary incarnations of the collaborative model, each possessing various ingredients identified as important, if not essential, components of a…

With the advent of No Child Left Behind (2002), the academic expectations of students with disabilities have changed. Students with disabilities are now held to the same academic standards as their peers without disabilities. Furthermore, the 2004 provisions in the Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act state that students with…

Current federal legislation holds schools accountable for ensuring that all students, including those with disabilities, make adequate yearly progress on academic achievement measures, while also including students with disabilities in general education settings whenever possible. Schools are thus expected to be both excellent and equitable in…

The goal of any educational program is to help its students to maximize their fullest potential in inclusive environments. For many students with disabilities, having an inclusive environment seems to be an ideal policy. Ironically, this policy continues to be debatable and controversial. Sometimes, the controversy or debate dominates the real…

The "Individuals with Disabilities Act," "No Child Left Behind Act," and "Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act" call for educators to work together to teach special education students in an inclusive setting. In this regard, research supports the use of co-teaching by general and special education…

Under the Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act Amendments of 2004, special educators and related services personnel are required to support a child with disabilities in the setting deemed the least restrictive and most natural for that particular child. There is considerable variation in the consultation experiences and skills…

The Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 established the basis for the mandate to provide all children with disabilities a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) and aligned the state and school districts ability to receive federal funding. The most recent legislation, Individuals with…

The federal mandates set forth by the Individual with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA) and No Child Left Behind (NCLB) require an increase in inclusive education for students with special education needs in the least restrictive environment. This type of environment can be in a 'co-taught' classroom. Co-teaching is defined as an…