Forty-Five Years of IDEA-Funded Research Supporting a
“Free Appropriate Public Education”
By Douglas Fuchs and Lynn Fuchs, Vanderbilt University
On this 45th anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), we reflect on the research that IDEA legislation (and its successive reauthorizations) has facilitated. More specifically, we discuss its focus, quality, and meaningfulness for children and youth with and without disabilities.