The Individuals with disabilities Act (IDEA) is a law that makes available a free appropriate public education to eligible children with disabilities throughout the nation and ensures special education and related services to those children.

The stated purpose of the IDEA is:

• to ensure that all children with disabilities have available to them a free appropriate public education that emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet their unique needs and prepare them for further education, employment, and independent living;
  
  
• to ensure that the rights of children with disabilities and parents of such children are protected;
  
  
• to assist in the implementation of, comprehensive, coordinated, multidisciplinary, interagency system of early intervention services;
• to ensure that educators and parents have the necessary tools to improve educational results for children with disabilities by supporting system improvement activities; coordinated research and personnel preparation; coordinated technical assistance, dissemination, and support; technology development and media services;
  
  
• to assess and ensure the effectiveness of efforts to educate children with disabilities.