50 Years of IDEA: Let’s Go Learn

This resource from the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) marks the 50th anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), originally passed as the Education for All Handicapped Children Act on November 29, 1975. This landmark legislation guarantees every student with a disability the right to a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE), fundamentally transforming how schools serve students with disabilities. The 'Let's Go Learn' component highlights how technology-based assessment and learning tools can support the implementation of IDEA's promises, providing educators with resources that help individualise instruction and track student progress. Over the past five decades, IDEA has opened classroom doors and transformed lives for millions of children and youth, ensuring they receive the education they deserve. CEC is the largest international professional organisation dedicated to improving the success of children and youth with disabilities and/or gifts and talents. Their members have led efforts in designing curriculum and supports, translating research into practice, and advocating for the rights and educational needs of exceptional learners across the country.