Final answer:
The 1975 Education for all Handicapped Children Act, later renamed as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), ensured that children with disabilities had equal access to public education and individualized education programs tailored to their needs.
Step-by-step explanation:
In 1975, Congress created the Education for all Handicapped Children Act, which was integral in ensuring that children with disabilities had guaranteed equal access to public education. This legislation required public schools to educate children with disabilities and noted that they had a right to an education.
As part of this act, schools were to consult with parents to create an Individualized Education Program (IEP) for each child, tailoring their educational experiences to meet their specific needs. In 1990, this act was renamed to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), allowing for even more parental input and decision-making on how children with disabilities receive special education services most appropriate for their education. Under IDEA, students with disabilities received individualized plans to provide them the maximum support for achieving their best learning potential.