Which federal law is designed to protect and provide benefits to children with disabilities?

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a comprehensive civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in various areas, including employment, transportation, public accommodations, communications, and access to state and local government programs and services. While the ADA is crucial for ensuring that children with disabilities can access the same opportunities as their peers, it is not specifically designed for the direct provision of benefits to children with disabilities in educational settings.

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is specifically crafted to ensure that children with disabilities receive a free appropriate public education (FAPE) and outlines the process for evaluating children, creating individualized education programs (IEPs), and delivering services tailored to their needs. This law directly addresses the educational rights and services required for children with disabilities, thus making it the most relevant choice for this question.

While both the ADA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act provide protections for individuals with disabilities, Section 504 specifically mandates that students with disabilities must receive equal access to education and services, thus sharing similar goals to IDEA in the educational context. However, IDEA is the primary law governing the education of children with disabilities, making it the most suitable answer.