Disability Matters

Disability rights laws are an essential part of every classroom, not just special education classrooms. Laws providing rights and protections to students and teachers with disabilities will be limited in utility unless all teachers understand the laws and the roles of the laws in the classroom. As the number of lawsuits in education is on the rise, Teachers must learn about the numerous legal issues possible in order to protect themselves against becoming involved in court cases. Teacher preparation programs must prepare all teachers to deal with these issues and to be aware of legal requirements for an equal education. A legal mandate for an individual education plan, a less restrictive environment, and a free appropriate public education for students with disabilities are topics that all general education teachers must know and understand. This text is geared to all general education majors at all levels and in every content area, as well as administrators, teachers, parents of students with disabilities, and those involved in legal research.

PAUL T. JAEGER is Legal Research Associate, Information Use Management and Policy Institute, Florida State University.CYNTHIA ANN BOWMAN is Assistant Professor, English Education, Florida Sate University.