Adrian, MI – When the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) first became law in 1975, it marked a turning point in American education. For the first time, students with disabilities had the guaranteed right to attend school and access the same opportunities as their peers.
For Marty Chapman, a longtime Special Education Teacher with the Lenawee Intermediate School District (LISD), that moment coincided with her own graduation from college. “Basically, all students with disabilities now had the right to an education and to attend school,” she recalled. “At the time, we were just beginning to understand what that would really mean for students, families, and teachers.”
Marty’s path into special education began in a simple way, babysitting a neighbor with disabilities. That experience grew into a calling. Her first teaching job was unlike anything most educators today would recognize. “I was teaching students with severe multiple impairments living in a state institution,” Marty shared. “At the beginning of the year, teachers took carts with educational materials to the ‘wards’ where the students stayed. Later, we were given a wing in the hospital to set up classrooms. We were so excited because that felt like one step closer to having a real school.”
Even then, the challenges were significant. Teachers needed appropriate facilities, effective strategies, and resources that simply were not available at the time. But Marty remembers the joy of progress. “Each student had unique needs, and teaching was always about teamwork with colleagues, therapists, and families.”
Looking back on her career, Marty says it was the students and their families who shaped her philosophy. “I’ve learned so much from my colleagues in OT, PT, and Speech,” she said. “The parents of my students have taught me so much about life with students with disabilities and the strength it takes to advocate for their needs every day.” That deep partnership with families gave Marty a broader understanding of what it means to support the whole child. Over time, she came to believe that while the field has come a long way, we still have much progress to make in creating truly inclusive communities for individuals with disabilities.
Over the past five decades, the field of special education has transformed dramatically. From improved facilities to advanced technology, Marty has seen progress that once seemed unimaginable. “Technology has changed everything,” she explained. “It has improved mobility, communication, and even student engagement. Beyond that, we have seen increased expectations for students, more inclusion, and better opportunities for friendships and connections.”
Perhaps most meaningful has been watching students gain independence and learn to express themselves. “Working together with families and seeing students improve in communication has been the most rewarding part of my career,” she said.
After decades in the classroom, Marty still finds joy in the little things. “The students keep you inspired,” she smiled. “Even if you come in with a bad mood, they make you smile every day.” If she could share advice with new teachers, it would be this: “Be positive, work as a team, be kind, and work with honesty and integrity.” And as for what she is most proud of, she said, “Incorporating what I have learned from students and their families into my philosophy. They have taught me as much as I have ever taught them.”
As IDEA celebrates its 50th anniversary, Marty hopes the next 50 years bring even greater inclusion. “My dream is that all students, of all abilities, learn together and that schools continue to effectively accommodate everyone’s needs,” she said. IDEA was born out of a vision that every child deserves an education. Marty Chapman’s career is living proof of what can happen when that vision is embraced: students thrive, families find partners in education, and teachers discover that sometimes their greatest lessons come from the very students they set out to teach.