Americans with Disabilities Act 25th Anniversary Timeline - Disability & Employment

Education for All Handicapped Children Act/Individuals with Disabilities Education Act

________________________________________________________________

11/30/1975

President Ford signs the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EAHCA), which requires public schools to provide a “free appropriate public education” to all students, including those with disabilities. The Act is renamed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 1990, and amendments in 1997 add a focus on transition outcomes for students with disabilities exiting high school and pursuing post-secondary options, including employment.

A student with visual impairment and her teacher, c. 1970s. — History of Blindness in Iowa archives