On Jul. 29, 1975, the U.S. Congress passed a bill to amend the Education for All Handicapped Children Act that requires schools to provide equal access to children with physical and mental disabilities in ‘the least restrictive environment.’

Schools are required to evaluate a child’s special needs, develop an individualized education program for the child, involve the child’s parents, and educate the handicapped child along with nonhandicapped children as much as possible. The legislation was renamed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 1990.