History
Before 1975, the United States Federal Government did not guarantee children with disabilities a public education. Although some states did have early special education programs, they generally served only children with mild disabilities in separate schools and for a shorter school day. There were several early state court cases with favorable rulings that began to open the door to educational rights for disabled students. These state court rulings relied on the all important 1954 United States Supreme Court decision in Brown vs. Board of Education, which stated that separate was not equal. Although this famous ruling was the result of racial segregation in schools, courts since Brown have used this decision to require integration of students with disabilities into regular public schools.
Encouraged by the civil rights movement in the 1960s, parents and advocates turned to the courts for help, and in the 1970s they lobbied the federal government to secure educational rights for their children with disabilities. The first federal guarantee came with the passage of Section 504, The Rehabilitation Act of 1973. However, this law was not enacted until 1977 when the regulations were finally published in the Federal Register. Section 504, The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, mandated equal access to schools for all children with disabilities. This was a civil rights law and is in existence today; however, this law did not provide funding to help schools comply. Two years later, with pressure from parents and advocacy groups, congress passed Public Law 94-142, The Education of All Handicapped Children Act. 94-142 was a federal education law and also had flow down funding attached to legislation and required schools to educate all children with disabilities. PL 94-142 has been reauthorized, and portions of the law were rewritten, which eventually resulted in the current version of the law, titled Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). IDEA guarantees an education (preschool through 12) to all children with disabilities until they receive a high school diploma or turn 21 years of age.
Before passage of federal legislation, local groups of parents joined together to form national associations. Parental actions and effort to advocate for the educational needs of their children continue to be a force of change in at both the state and national levels. One such organization dedicated itself to persons with learning disabilities. This was a grassroots, voluntary membership organization made up of families and persons with learning disabilities. They were determined to combat the effects of these neurological, lifelong disorders resulting in what are collectively regarded as learning disabilities. In 1964 these individuals formed the Association for Children with Learning Disabilities, later to become the Learning Disabilities Association of America (LDA). This group of parents and advocates were very active in the lobbying of Congress and pushing the passage of the Section 504, Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Public Law 94-142. LDA has grown since its founding and remains a strong and active organization providing education, awareness and training for interested individuals interested in learning disabilities.
LDA is a non-profit organization of volunteers, including individuals with learning disabilities, their families, and professionals. LDA is dedicated to identifying causes and promoting prevention of learning disabilities, enhancing the quality of life for individuals with learning disabilities and their families, by encouraging effective identification, interventions, fostering research, and protecting their rights under the law. LDA seeks to accomplish this through awareness, advocacy, empowerment, education, service, and collaborative efforts. LDA currently has some 40,000 members organized into about 450 state and local affiliates. The Learning Disabilities Association of Colorado (LDAC) is one of these affiliates.
In October of 1985, a group of Colorado professionals who specialized in learning disabilities, together with a number of Colorado parents, re-chartered a non-profit Colorado corporation and named it Colorado Association of Children and Adults with Learning Disabilities. With the passage of PL 94-142 in 1975, there was an assumption that schools would handle all the educational needs of these students, including those with learning disabilities. As the educational system worked through the structuring of special education programs, they created more “inclusive” situations moving away from “individualized education” that was greatly needed by many special needs students. Because learning disabilities is considered a hidden disability, often students with LD were overlooked and/or inappropriately labeled. In addition, 94-142 emphasis was on the K-12 student population and colleges and universities were beginning to start programs for students with disabilities; however, Section 504 was an unfunded civil rights mandate. Unfortunately, the needs of adults with learning disabilities were largely ignored in the beginning of this movement. With this is mind, the 1985 Colorado group decided to become involved in public policy at the state and national level became an affiliate of the LDA. In 1987, members became tired of tripping over saying the “Colorado Association of Children and Adults with Learning Disabilities” and changed the name to the Learning Disabilities Association of Colorado.
The emphasis on advocacy for children, educating parents and professionals as well as the public, supporting adults with learning and attention disabilities, participating in public policy decision making, and providing referrals for various services has ebbed and flowed over the last 22 years. The work of LDAC has depended on the immediate needs of the Colorado community and the strengths of the individual Colorado volunteers. In 2002, LDAC reorganized using a strategic planning model. Three committees worked to revise the LDAC mission and vision statements and recommitted the organization serving the needs of adults and children with learning and attention disabilities. LDAC remains committed to providing a resource for children, parents, adults, and professionals. Children and adults newly diagnosed with learning and attention disabilities often come to the table with little or no knowledge of these neurological conditions. LDAC is committed to supporting the potential of individuals with learning and attention disabilities through accurate identification, advocacy and education.
Everyone involved in LDAC is very excited to start the third chapter in the life of the organization: forming a partnership with the Learning Effectiveness Program at the University of Denver. Together we will continue to fulfill the vision and mission of Learning Disability Association of America, the LDAC, and help the LEP contribute toward the University’s goal: To make significant contributions to the public good through community partnerships, timely research, and policy analysis.
