Laws that affected Assistive Technology
Beard, L.A., Carpenter, L.B., & Johnson, L.B. (2010). Assistive technology: access for all students. Boston: Prentice Hall
Name of Act
The Technology- The Tech
P.L. 100-407
Related
Act of 1988
Assistance for
Individuals with
Disabilities Act of
1988
Telecommunications Act of
1996
Carl D. Perkins
Vocational and
Technical
Education Act of
1998
Assistive
Technology Act
of 1998
P.L. 104-104
Perkins Act P.L. 101-392
Assistive
Technolog
y Act
P.L. 105-394
Assistive Technology Act of
2004
P.L. 108-364
Education for All
Handicapped
Children Act of
1975
P.L. 94-142
EHA
Contains
FAPE,
IEP, IFSP
1
Contributions and Expectations
Defined
 Assistive technology (AT) service (“directly assists an individual with a
disability in the selection, acquisition, or use of an AT device”) and
 AT device (“any piece of equipment, product system, whether acquired
commercially, off the shelf, modified, or customized that is used to
increase, maintain, or improve functional capabilities of individuals with
disabilities”).
Mandated that
 schools and libraries have Internet access by 2000
 school and library technology be upgraded for equal access
(“accessibility, usability, and compatibility” and “functionality”) for
every user
Provided for students in high school and college to have up-to-date
technology to prepare them for career and technology education (CATE) to
be successful in information age.
Related to
Expanded in 1994
Provided monies for states (and other entities) to
 help states with their AT programs
 research and incorporate Universal Design for Learning (UDL)
 provide AT for individuals with disabilities
 Targeted monies specifically to individuals’ AT needs instead of
programs
 Mandated research-based spending
 Mandated that all students with disabilities were guaranteed Free
Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)
 Created Individualized Education Programs (IEP) to describe specific
educational goals and services for each special needs students
 Reauthorized in 1986 to P.L. 99-457 to include services for preschool
and infants with Individualized Family Services Plan (IFSP)
Replaced Tech Act
of 1988
First passed in
1984, expanded in
1998
Assistive
Technology Act of
1988
IDEA 1990
Laws that affected Assistive Technology
Beard, L.A., Carpenter, L.B., & Johnson, L.B. (2010). Assistive technology: access for all students. Boston: Prentice Hall
Name of Act
Individuals with
Disabilities
Education Act of
1990
Individuals with
Disabilities
Education Act of
1997
IDEA
P.L. 101-476
Contributions and Expectations
 Created Individual Transition Plan to IEP, including AT resources
 Included provisions for students with brain injuries and autism
IDEA
P.L. 105-17



Positive Behavioral Intervention Supports (PBIS) to improve educational
services for special needs students
District and state testing and curriculum requirements for students,
which created more needs for AT to help special education student
achieve success in the general education classroom
Teacher become responsible for researching and implementing AT
services to ensure success for all students
Excluded surgical implants from schools’ responsibility as AT
Defined Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and called for testing be
designed using UDL
Individuals with
Disabilities
Education
Improvement Act
of 2004
Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act
of 1973
IDEA
P.L. 108-446


Section
504
P.L. 93-112
Guaranteed that all people with disabilities be given “reasonable access” in
society and in education
Americans with
Disabilities Act of
1990
ADA
PL 101-336
Required that
 Individuals with disabilities not be discriminated against in employment
 Telephone companies provide technology for people with speech and
hearing disabilities
Increased accountability for schools to ensure that students with special
needs reach proficiency in general curriculum makes AT services more
important
No Child Left
NCLB
Behind Act of 2001
PL 107-110
2
Related to
IDEA 1997
IDEA 2004
Foundation for
IDEA and
Americans with
Disabilities Act
(ADA)
Continuation of
Elementary and
Secondary
Education Act of
1965 (P.L. 89-10)