WEST-E Special Education Practice Test

What was the purpose of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (PL 94-142)?

1. To segregate children with disabilities

2. To require equal access to education for all children

3. To eliminate all forms of special education

4. To create specialized schools for disabled students

The correct answer is: To require equal access to education for all children

The purpose of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (PL 94-142) was fundamentally to ensure that all children, regardless of their disabilities, have the right to a free and appropriate public education (FAPE). This groundbreaking legislation emphasized the importance of equal access to education, recognizing that children with disabilities should not be denied educational opportunities due to their challenges. The act mandates that schools provide appropriate services and support tailored to the individual needs of students with disabilities, thereby promoting inclusion within the educational system rather than segregation. By advocating for the rights of children with disabilities, PL 94-142 laid the foundation for later laws and policies that further enhanced educational access and equity for all students. This broad aim of equal access is at the heart of the law, making it critical in advancing the inclusion of children with disabilities within the general education framework, rather than creating separate systems, as suggested in the other options.