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American School for the Deaf
Founded in Heartford, Connecticut, the American School for the Deaf was an essential milestone to pave the way for the future. It changed the way society viewed people with special needs; the school was founded based on goals of literacy, salvation, and the skills needed to earn a living. The school was established using sign language from the beginning and still to this day continues to educate many deaf and hard of hearing students. -
Perkins School for the Blind
This is the oldest school for the blind in the US and was first called the New England Asylum for the Blind. The institution first opened with six students and grew ten times that within 6 years. This school gave opportunity for blind and deafblind children to attend a school that would teach them reading, writing, and mathematics. This is the school that Helen Keller attended and graduated from. https://www.perkins.org/history/archives/collections/oral-history -
Columbia Institution
In 1864 Columbia Institution for the Instruction of the Deaf and Dumb and the Blind, was established and recognized by congress to allow those attending to obtain college degrees. Special students were not only being attended to in ways that support they needs but they were able to get a college level education. This was the first time in American history that those attending a school geared toward those with disabilities were able to obtain a college degree. -
Plessy v. Ferguson
Plessy v. Ferguson was a U.S. Supreme Court decision that upheld the constitutionality of racial segregation under the “separate but equal” doctrine. The case started from an incident in which an African American train passenger, Homer Plessy, refused to sit in a car for blacks. The Supreme Court Rejected Plessy’s argument that his constitutional rights were violated, ruling that a law that “implies merely a legal distinction” between whites and blacks was not unconstitutional. -
Council For Exceptional Children
The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) strives to meet the needs of those with disabilities and those with gifts and special talents. The CEC is the world’s largest organization committed to expanding the scholastic achievement of people with special circumstances. It supports relevant administrative policies, offers professional development for educators, establishes professional standards, and helps professionals and organizations attain helpful resources for people with exceptionalities. -
Brown vs. Board of Education
Brown vs. Board of Education fought for desegregation of the school systems in the United States. This is what began the legislation for Special Education in the schools. This Supreme Court decision ended legal segregation in the public schools on behalf of the "separate but equal" excuse that was ruled unconstitutional. -
Mills v. Board of Education of District of Columbia
Mills v. Board of Education of District of Columbia was a lawsuit to ensure all students had the right to free public education. Prior to this case, many schools did not offer education to students with disabilities. The court decided that free education must be offered to all students based on the students' individual needs, regardless of any disibilities. -
Education for All Handicapped Children Act
Many children with disabilities, depending on the state they were in, were not allowed access to the public school system. The Education for All Handicapped Children Act was one of the first that enabled public education to all students, regardless of the cost. All schools recieved federal funding which provided equal access for all children with disabilities to be provided with proper and equal education. -
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
This law ensures educational services to all children throughout the nation who have a disability. IDEA monitors early intervention, special education and other related services to many, many children of an assortment of ages. After the Mills vs. Board of Education case, several acts supporting help for special needs students with disabilities sprang up. https://sites.ed.gov/idea/about-idea/ -
No Child Left Behind Act
The No Child Left Behind Act(NCLB) act was designed to establish state academic standards and state testing systems in each state that meet federal requirements. The goal was to close the achievement gap between students, give parents more of a choice on the school that their child is attending, and to ensure that all students in every public school are taught important learning goals while being educated in safe classrooms by well-prepared teachers.
