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First Special Ed school in the US
In 1817 the first special education school in the United States, the American Asylum for the Education and Instruction of the Deaf and Dumb (now called the American School for the Deaf), was established in Hartford, Connecticut, by Gallaudet. -
Brail
Brail code is first published -
American Printing House
American printing house for the blind is established -
Segregated Classes
Segregated classes in the public schools are established as viable alternatives to instructing children with disabilities the term emotional disturbance comes into use. -
Mentally retarded is introduced
The term mentally retarded is introduced; the term gifted appears in the professional literature -
Council for Exceptional Children
Council for Exceptional children is founded -
Brown vs Board of Education
U.S. Supreme Court hands down decision in Brown vs. Board of Education -
Term learning disability is introduced
Samuel A. Kirk introduces the term learning disability -
First Special Ed Class
Congress enacted Public Law 94-142 in 1975, also known as The Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975. -
Mental retardation is replaced with intellectual disability
On October 5th, 2010 President Obama signed S. 2781, known as Rosa's law, requiring the federal government to replace the term "mental retardation" with "intellectual disability" in federal education, health, and labor laws. The law is named after Rosa Marcellino who is 9 years old and was born with Down syndrome.