In the United States, there are many laws that protect the rights and needs of children with disabilities to attend school.

In the United States, under a law called the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), every child has the right to “free appropriate public education” (FAPE). According to Part C of IDEA, families and children with DD/ID younger than age 3 can receive early intervention services. Individuals from ages 3 through 21 receive special education and related services under IDEA Part B. For information about educational services, contact your local school district and seek out your state parent training and information (PTI) center. Every state has PTI centers for families of children with disabilities that can provide support and train families to get educational services for their children.

The Assistive Technology Act provides assistive technology to individuals with disabilities so they can fully participate in education, employment, and daily activities. Assistive Technology is any item, device, or piece of equipment used to improve task performance, function, and skills in individuals with disabilities.

Here are some examples of Assistive Technology devices for different conditions:

• For limited vocabulary: Augmentative and alternative communication, such as Picture exchange Communication System (PECS), talking devices or iPad apps to communicate with others.
• For difficulties reading standard print: Text to Speech software (TTS)
• For hearing deficit and other auditory or learning problems: Assistive Listening Systems

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) is a law that protects the privacy of a student's school records. These rights are transferred to the student when they reach the age of 18 or attend school beyond the high school level.

There are multiple options for targeted therapies and interventions to help your child make progress in development, behavior, and social skills.

These interventions can be received through Early Intervention Programs for children under 3 and through the school district for children above the age of 3. In addition, children can receive intervention through your medical insurance. Some of the interventions that may be available to your child include:

• Infant stimulation programs to promote overall developmental and play skills
• Speech and language therapy for articulation and language problems
• Occupational therapy (OT) to address sensory processing difficulties and develop fine motor skills, hand motor coordination, and focus on activities like feeding and dressing
• Physical therapy (PT) to improve balance, motor coordination and gross motor skills.
• Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), which is a behavior intervention for anxiety and depression
• Behavior modification and parent coaching for difficult behaviors
• Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) for behavior and social communication difficulties in children with Autism
• Social skills training to improve social communication and the ability to make friends
• Family therapy to help family members understand the nature of intellectual disability, address their feelings, and develop coping skills
• Relationship-based therapies to help parents and caregivers to better read a child’s social cues and take a more reflective approach to behavioral intervention

Early Intervention Programs (EIP) are agencies that offer evaluations and provide specialized home and center-based services for families with children ages 0-3 diagnosed with developmental delays. Through early intervention programs, the child will receive an Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP).

The IFSP outlines when and what services, including those mentioned above, the child will receive. These services are typically free or available at a reduced cost. Early intervention services vary by state and more information can be found on your state’s early intervention program website. At the age of 3 children are transitioned to continue services through their school districts’ Special Education programs.

Individuals With DD/ID ages of 3 to 21 attending public school in the United States will be eligible for an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). An IEP is a personalized document that outlines the goals and skills that your child will work towards that year. Your child will be evaluated every three years to update their education goals and intervention plan.

Every year you will meet with your educational team to review the annual goals for your child’s intervention.

• General education teachers who are often the first ones to notice that a student may have a disability.
• Special education teachers will participate in IEPs meetings and collaborate in writing the IEP goals and objectives. Special education teachers can provide additional instruction by working one-on-one with students.
• School psychologists are licensed to administer assessments to help determine a student's eligibility for special education and related services. They may provide consultation to classroom teachers for students who have problems with social, behavioral, and emotional issues.
• School counselors can provide counseling for students with disabilities that are struggling with social and emotional issues.
• Speech language pathologists work with students who have issues related to communication. They provide evaluations, help develop IEP goals and objectives, and implement intervention for articulation, language, communication, poor oral motor coordination, and feeding disorders.
• Occupational therapists work with students who have problems with fine motor coordination, such as using their hands to grasp objects or handwriting. They can also work on sensory processing differences, such as sensitivity to food, sound, texture, etc., feeding and independence skills.
• Physical therapists provide intervention for gross motor skills and coordination, such as abnormal walking, jumping, etc. They can help students who have low muscle strength and have difficulties with balance, posture, and movement.
• Audiologists help diagnose hearing problems. They can help determine if a student would benefit from a hearing aid or other devices.
• Paraprofessionals work under the direction of a teacher or an administrator to provide direct services for students with disabilities in school.

In addition, school administrators often provide indirect services for students with disabilities by ensuring proper implementation of policies, procedures, and financial responsibilities. School administrators range from the on-site principals to district-wide administrators.