Indiana Public Media

Kristie Brown Loftland said the Autism Society of Indiana wants to make it easier on parents and families.  “It’s already confusing for a lot of parents when they first get the diagnosis of autism,” Brown Loftland, the ASI board president, said. “Oftentimes the public doesn’t understand, necessarily, what kind of services are offered to a child with a disability,” she said.  Many of those services in special education, such as special therapy or individualized education plans, are partially funded by the federal government. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) enshrined protections and funding for these students with disabilities in 1975. About 15 percent of children receive special education, more than 7.5 million students. In Indiana, about 200,000 students receive special education. But advocates, including Brown Loftland, believe the act and the rights it guarantees for those students are threatened as President Donald Trump reshapes education.  “It’s going to affect millions of students with disabilities and their families,” Brown Loftland said.