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The Connecticut Asylum for the Education of Deaf and Dumb Persons
Located in Hartford, CT, the Connecticut Asylum for the Education of Deaf and Dumb (non-speaking) Persons, was the first school in the United States to teach deaf students. It was later renamed American Asylum for Deaf and Dumb. Link text -
New England Asylum for the Blind
Established in 1829 in Watertown, MS, this was the first school for the blind in the United States. The school was renamed the Perkins School for the Blind and remains open to this day. -
Watson v. City of Cambridge
The Massachusetts Supreme Court agreed with a school that they were permitted to expel a student on the grounds that he would not benefit from the instruction because he was considered mentally deficient. -
Beattie v. Board of Education of Antigo
This case was brought when a student was expelled from public school because of physical disabilities that caused him to drool and have facial spasms. The Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled that the school was within its rights to exclude the student because his disabilities were repulsive to the teacher and other students. -
Buck vs Bell
Although not educationally related, this case shows the lack of civil rights people with disabilities had in the early 20th century. In this case, the Supreme Court allowed a Virginia law that provided for sterilization of people without consent if they were considered to be inferior genetically. There were 30 other states that passed similar laws.Link text -
Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka
This landmark civil rights case declared that the idea of separate but equal education for minority students was unconstitutional. Although this case was not about students with disabilities, it was later successfully used to support the argument that discrimination against students with disabilities was equally unconstitutional. -
Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Children (P.A.R.C) v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
Link text PARC v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania challenged a law that allowed schools to deny education to children who were developmentally less than five years old before enrolling in first grade. The attorneys representing the plaintiffs used Brown v. Board of Education as a basis for the case. -
Mills v. Board of Education, District of Columbia
The case was brought to support seven students who had been denied an education because of their disabilities and were, therefore, denied due process guaranteed by the Constitution. The District of Columbia argued that they did not have the resources to provide resources to the students. The court ruled that no student should be excluded from public education. -
Section 504, Rehabilitation Act of 1973
The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 was a civil rights law that prohibited discrimination based on a person's disability in programs receiving federal funds. The act has several sections. Section 504 applies to public schools, along with other programs that receive federal funds. Students that have disabilities, physical or mental, that limit life activities, have a record of an impairment, or are considered to have an impairment, are entitled to a free and appropriate education under the act. -
Education for All Handicapped Children (PL 94-142)
This act was the first to require states to provide a free and appropriate education for children with special needs in the least restrictive environment. It required individual education plans (IEPs) to address a student's unique needs. It also required parents to be informed of due process to challenge decisions, and for IEPs to include special education and related services. Several specific requirements for IEPs were included. -
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
This act updated the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (PL 94-142) and changed its name. The act was written to ensure that students with disabilities are provided with a free and appropriate public education and needed services. The plan required a transition plan by 16 years of age that included living arrangement, vocational training or further education. It also added autism and traumatic brain injury as eligible categories. -
1997 Amendments to the IDEA
These amendments included additions such as the consideration of assistive technology, orientation and mobility services for students as needed, documentation of transition planning for students at 14, and a statement of how students with disabilities will be involved in progressing through to general education curriculum. Also, disabled children were allowed to be disciplined in the same manner as non-disabled children provided the behavior is not a manifestation of their disability. -
Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004
Also known as IDEA 2004. This act made changes to the original IDEA of 1997; some of these changes align the IDEA to the NCLB. There are requirements that all children identified with eligible disabilities will be provided with a free and appropriate education in the least restrictive environment, that evaluations for placement will be non-discriminatory, and that parents have the right to participate, can expect confidentiality, and will have procedural safeguards.
