ABSTRACT
This chapter provides an overview of the special education system in the United States. It outlines issues related to providing special educational services to racial and ethnic minority children with disabilities in the United States. The chapter discusses the time-consuming and complicated task of navigating special education system. It also discusses potential barriers to the use of special education programs and services by Arab American families. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1990, which was amended by Congress in 2004 and renamed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act is the special education law in the United States. IDEA also mandates that an individualized education program (IEP) be developed for each student receiving special education. The special education system in the United States is governed by national legislative guiding principles and procedures and works in a structured, systematic way.
