The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendment of 1997 and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEIA 2004) may be regarded as a highly significant part of the United States legislation. They establish the equal right of all children with disabilities to get appropriate public education free of charge (Yell, Shriner, & Katsiyannis, 2006). It goes without saying that students with emotional disabilities are included in the accessible education program as well. In general, emotional disabilities or disorder imply the person’s inappropriate expression of emotions and behavior response to various situations, inability to maintain interpersonal relationships, and persuasive depression, anxiety, or unhappiness.
According to Amendments Acts, all children with emotional disabilities should be educated in the inclusive and least restrictive environment. The fundamental principles of the IDEA include an absence of rejection, non-discriminatory evaluation, the individualization of education, and parents’ involvement. The IDEA 1997 strengthened parents’ role in the educational process and introduced mediation and non-adversarial procedures for disputes’ resolution (Yell, Shriner, & Katsiyannis, 2006). In turn, the IDEIA 2004 emphasized the significance of qualification for special education teachers (Yell, Shriner, & Katsiyannis, 2006). Students with emotional disabilities are taught in safe and conductive to learning environments by highly qualified and experienced teachers with the implementation of evidence-based practices in the teaching process.
Special education teachers should be responsible for teaching in regular classrooms, resource rooms, and other settings. They are responsible for the creation of a comfortable atmosphere for emotionally unstable children. On the basis of the assessment, special educators should develop meaningful educational programs in relation to the type of students’ disabilities. In turn, students with emotional and behavior disorders should demonstrate adequate learning progress and meet the state’s standards in writing, reading, science, math, and history.
Reference
Yell, M. L., Shriner, J. G., & Katsiyannis, A. (2006). Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 and IDEA Regulations of 2006: Implications for educators, administrators, and teacher trainers. Focus on Exceptional Children, 39(1), 1-24.