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American School for the Deaf
The American School for the Deaf is founded in Hartford, Connecticut. This was the first school for disabled children anywhere in the Western Hemisphere. -
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Special Education History
Personal and public timeline of special education history -
American School for the Deaf
In 1817, Hartford, Connecticut opens the first school for disabled children. It was the first school of its kind anywhere in the Western Hemisphere. -
Perkins Institution for the Blind
Perkins Institution is founded in Boston, MA. Participants were required to live and learn there much like boarding school -
Perkins Institution for the Blind Opens
Perkins Institution for the Blind was founded in Boston, MA. It was the first school of its kind for people with mental disabilities. Participants were required to live and learn there much like boarding school. -
Columbia Institution
Columbia Institution for the Deaf and Dumb and Blind was allowed to grant college degrees by the U.S. Congress. It was the first college in the world established for people with disabilities. -
Plessy vs. Ferguson
The Supreme Court upheld the Louisana separate car act. Though this is not directly related to education, this did set the precedence of separate but equal. -
Lighthouse Guild Founded
Lighthouse Guild is an American charitable organization, based in New York City, devoted to vision rehabilitation and advocacy for the blind. -
The White House Conference on Children
The White House Conference on Children was an early attempt to bring more national attention to the issue of educating children with disabilities. As attitudes toward disabled children began to shift, more thought was given to educating these children in schools, rather than institutionalizing them. This line of thinking was limited, however, as students entering public school were segregated into separate classes away from the general student population. -
The White House Conference on Children
Students entering public school were segregated into separate classes away from the general student population. Educators felt these segregated settings provided more specialized instruction that the children needed. For the next twenty years, the number of special classes and services for students with disabilities consistently increased. -
Beattie V Board of Ed.
The Wisconsin Supreme Court upholds a ruling that a student could be excluded from a school based on a disability. The student had a condition that caused drooling and facial contortions. Teachers found the student's presence in class "nauseating" (Yell, 1998). The courts agreed with school officials that argued the student required too much time of the teacher and caused disruptions to the learning environment (Yell, Rogers, & Rogers, 1998). -
Beattie vs. Board of Education
The Wisconsin Supreme Court upholds a ruling that a student could be excluded from a school based on a disability. The student had a condition that caused drooling and facial contortions. Teachers found the student's presence in class "nauseating". The courts agreed with school officials that argued the student required too much time of the teacher and caused disruptions to the learning environment. -
American Foundation for the Blind
The American Foundation for the Blind is an American non-profit organization for people with vision loss. -
Council for Exceptional Children
the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) is the largest internationally recognized professional organization devoted to improving the educational experience of students with gifts and talents or disabilities. -
The Bradley Home
Bradley Hospital was the nation's first neuropsychiatric hospital for children. -
Autism Classification
The classification for Autism is introduced by Dr. Leo Lanner of John Hopkins University. He concluded that this was a neurodevelopmental disorder and that 'these children have come into the world with an innate inability to form the usual, biologically provided contact with people' -
Brown vs. Board of Education
Brown vs. Board of Education, the Supreme Court ruled that students could not be denied the right to educational opportunity based on race. The court cited the 14th Amendment and its equal protection clause as Constitutional support for the decision. This landmark case provided new legal pathways for parents of disabled children who would also rely on the 14th Amendment to argue against excluding children with disabilities from public schools. -
Brown vs. Board of Education
Brown vs. Board of Education, the Supreme Court ruled that students could not be denied the right to educational opportunity based on race. The court cited the 14th Amendment and its equal protection clause as Constitutional support for the decision. This landmark case provided new legal pathways for parents of disabled children who would also rely on the 14th Amendment to argue against excluding children with disabilities from public schools. -
First Center of Independent Living Opens
This center was made UC Berkley by Ed Roberts to support the needs of individuals living with disabilities so they can live independently and away from nursing homes and other institutions. -
Section 504
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act prohibited discrimination based on disabilities. In 1977, Congress finalized the language to state "no otherwise qualified handicapped individual in the United States .. . shall solely by reason of his handicap, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any activity receiving federal financial assistance" -
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
The first major piece of federal legislation protecting the rights of those with disabilities was passed by Congress in 1973. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act prohibited discrimination based on disabilities. After several revisions, the act finally packed the power for which advocates had been hoping. -
Education Amendments of 1974
Following the revision of the laws contained in Section 504, the federal government took further steps to ensure the rights of students with disabilities. This provided funding for programs, instructions for due process procedures, and addressed the concept of least restrictive environment for disabled students. -
P.L. 93-380 - Education Amendments of 1974
Following the revision of the laws contained in Section 504, the federal government took further steps to ensure the rights of students with disabilities. P.L. 93-380 provided funding for programs, instructions for due process procedures, and addressed the concept of least restrictive environment for disabled students. -
Handicapped Children's Protection Act
Signed by Reagan, the Handicapped Children's Protection Act was a law that gave parents of children with disabilities more say in the development of their child's Individual Educational Plan (IEP). -
The Individuals with Disabilities Act of 1990
The Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) serves as the centerpiece for all matters pertaining to the protection of educational rights for students with disabilities. Several additions to the law were made in 1997 to further outline the process of developing Individual Education Plans (IEPs). Most importantly, IDEA provided federally mandated statutes for the operation of special education programs within each state. -
Americans with Disabilities Act
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in several areas, including employment, transportation, public accommodations, communications and access to state and local government' programs and services. Implemented by George H.W. Bush. -
Type 1 Diabetes Diagnosis
At age 4, just two weeks after my birthday I was diagnosed with type one diabetes. Many of these laws, such as, ADA, protect and apply to me! -
New Neighbors
In 2003, my family moved into a new neighborhood with lots of children. One of my neighbors, Katie was 4 years older than me and had severe autism. My sister and I would regularly go over to Katie and Madeline's house to play and hangout with both of them. -
My Own 504 Plan
As I entered high school, I no longer attended a school that either of my (teacher) parents worked at. Because of this, I got my first 504 plan that ensured my safety in high school. Diabetes is classified as a chronic illness as well as a disability. My 504 plan included things like, access to food and water whenever and wherever I was at school, unlimited restroom usage and a trusted classmate to walk w/me to the nurses office when I was experiencing a high or low blood sugar. -
Special Olympics Volunteer
During my junior year of high school, our varsity basketball team volunteered to help at our local Special Olympics. These adults participating were all playing basketball! -
Wheelchair Basketball
My senior year of high school we invited our local wheelchair basketball team to play in a game against our boys&girls varsity basketball seniors.. the only thing was, we also had to use wheelchairs. We got our butts KICKED.. I also am not sure I've ever had that much exercise since that game.