ABSTRACT
By establishing that separate educational facilities were inherently unequal, the United States civil rights movement contributed to equal access and opportunity for minority populations previously segregated from society. Building off of this movement, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA, 2004) ensures that students with disabilities have the right to access a free appropriate public education (FAPE) that prepares them for further education, employment, and independent living. Public laws such as the Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA, 2008) improve access to appropriate education services for students with intellectual disabilities who wish to participate in education after high school. The HEOA, however, does not include an FAPE mandate like IDEA.
