Developmental Disabilities and Speech and Language Impaiments

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there are 53.9 million school aged children between the ages of 5 years-old to 17 years-old in the United States non-institutionalized population. Of the 53.9 million children, about 2.8 million (5.2%) were reported to have a disability in 2010. About 1 in 6 children in the U.S. had a developmental disability in 2006-2008 which is a 17.1% increase from 1998. Developmental disabilities range from mild disabilities such as ADHD, speech and language impairments to serious developmental disabilities, such as intellectual disabilities, cerebral palsy, and autism. Recently, there has been an increased focus on Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs) as it becomes more prevalent in the United States. Since ASD is†¦show more content†¦The history of what is now known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement act (IDEIA) began as the â€Å"Education for All Handicapped Children Act† in 1975 which required all public schools that accepts federal funds to provide equal access to education for children that have physical and developmental disabilities. Congress reauthorized the act in 1990 expanded certain programs, renamed it the individuals with disabilities education act. Into thousand for the Congress amended the law and further clarified its intended purpose that states provide a free appropriate public education for all students aged 3-21 including children with disabilities IDEA defined as a child with a disability as any child who has mental retardation hearing impairments speech or language impairments, visual impa irments, serious emotional disturbance, orthopedic impairments, autism, traumatic brain injury, other health impairments, or specific learning disabilities, and who by reason there of needs special education and related services. President Bush reauthorized the act in 2004 and with the changes to the act called it the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA). The goals of act were to provide a free appropriate public education to children with special needs to progress in their environment. It was also a way for parents to have a voice in the process and to