Table 2:

Comparison of ADA and IDEA

Aspect	Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)	Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
Full Name	Americans with Disabilities Act	Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
Primary Purpose	Prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in public life	Ensures free appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment (LRE)
Scope	Broad civil rights law covering public accommodations, employment, transportation, and more	Education-specific law for students in K-12 public schools
Who is Covered	All individuals with disabilities	Children and youth (ages 3-21) with eligible disabilities
Applies To	Public and private entities, including workplaces, businesses, schools, and government institutions	Public schools and federally funded private schools
Services Provided	Reasonable accommodations in employment, education, and public spaces	Individualized education programs (IEPs) with special education services
Accommodations	Mandates accessibility but does not provide individualized services	Requires schools to provide specialized instruction and support services
Funding	No direct funding; requires compliance from institutions	Provides federal funding for special education services
Post-High School	Continues to provide protections in college, employment, and public accommodations	Ends after high school; does not apply to post-secondary education or employment