Glossary

(Now known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act). A federal law ensuring services to children with disabilities throughout the nation, IDEA governs how states and public agencies provide early intervention, special education and related services to more than 6.5 million eligible infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities.

Source: http://www.udlcenter.org/glossaries/glossary_eng#individuals_with_disabilities_education_act_idea

In context: Skrtic asserts that EHA has largely failed to achieve its goal of providing an appropriate public education to students with disabilities.

For further reading:
http://idea.ed.gov/