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The First School for the Deaf
At the time it was called the American Asylum for the Education of the Deaf and Dumb Persons. Thomas Gallaudet was the first principal of the school and did not like the name. It was renamed to the American School for the Deaf by the school board after the location of the school changed.
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First School for the Blind
Samuel Gridley Howe was interested in the education of blind students. He founded the first school for the blind, which is now called Perkins School for the Blind. He believed that blind students shouldn’t be “doomed to inequality” or thought of as “mere objects of pity”. -
Creation of Dept. of Special Education
This department was created by the National Education Association. This was the first association that pertained to children with disabilities. This section was for the training of teachers for the education of children who have disabilities. -
Council for Exceptional Children Founded
The Council for Exception Children (CEC) was founded by Elizabeth Farrell. The council has an impact in providing laws to protect those who have disabilities. Now they focus on improving the quality of special education. -
Brown v. Board of Education
The U.S. Supreme Court decided that a separate education for African American children was not equal education, which allowed for the integration of public schools. This laid the foundation for the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) which unfortunately wouldn’t happen until 20 years later. -
Public Law 94-142
This law guarantees that people with disabilities have the right to a free and appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment. This also brought about the implementation of Individual Educational Plans (IEPs). This also allowed people with disabilities the right to fair due process. This is when the inclusion of special education began.
Youtube.com -
Education of the Handicapped Act Amendments
These amendments allowed for younger children with disabilities to receive care. States had to extend free and appropriate education to children with disabilities from ages 3-5. Early intervention programs were created for infants and toddlers, from birth to 2 years, who have disabilities. -
Individuals with Disabilities Ed. Act
Public law 94-142 was renamed and replaced with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This saw the start of “people first” language when talking about those who have a disability. It also added autism and traumatic brain injury as disabilities. -
National Council on Disability
The National Council on Disability released a report with federal data in regard to IDEA. The reports showed that the federal wasn’t enforcing states to comply with the rules on special education. The findings showed that 36 states had failed to make sure students with disabilities were not separated from regular classrooms. -
Individuals with DB Ed Improvement Act (IDEIA)
This created policies to prevent the disproportionate representation of students in special education by race and ethnicity. It allowed for districts to determine whether a child has a specific earning disability using a response to intervention model. Previously a child had to have a major difference between achievement and intellectual ability to qualify.