Includes bibliographical references and index.

Chapter1. Introduction to the American legal system -- Chapter 2. Legal Research -- Chapter 3. The History of the law and children with disabilities -- Chapter 4. The Individuals with disabilities education act -- Chapter 5. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 -- Chapter 6. The Americans with disabilities act -- Chapter 7. The Elementary and secondary education act -- Chapter 8. Free appropriate public education -- Chapter 9. Identification, assessment, and evaluation -- Chapter 10. The Individualized education program -- Chapter 11. Least restrictive environment -- Chapter 12. Procedural safeguards -- Chapter 13. Disciplining students with disabilities -- Chapter 14. Additional issues: bullying, response to intervention, educational records, and liability for student injury.

Federal laws mandating the provision of special education and related services to students with disabilities have been in effect since 1975. To understand the field of special education, it is essential that we be familiar with the history and development of these laws.