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In the early 1800s Jean Marc Gaspard Itard was introduced to "wild child" Victor. Phillipe Pinel believed Victor was incurable but Itard believed he could teach Victor to speak, read and write. He felt he failed but in fact he taught Victor life skills. Itard's belief that those deemed "idiots" at the time were teachable is a new concept for this time.
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1837 - Itard suggests Seguin work with a boy deemed "a waste of time" by Esquirol. Seguin improved on Itards method of sensory training and created the Physiological Method. He was able to teach the boy to count, write and to speak. This a movement towards proving those labeled idiots are educatable. He founded Seguin Physiological School for "Idiots" in Paris in 1840. Schools like this would become numerous in the US
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http://www.disabilityhistorywiki.org/wiki/index.php?title=Hervey_Wilbur
Wilbur further emphasized that those deemed uneducable could benefit from schooling and training. -
Seguin moves to the USA and updates "Idiocy and It's Treatment by the Physiological Method" which believed that mental deficiency was caused by a weakness of the nervous system and could be supported or overcome with sensory and motor training. This becomes the standard for the late 1800s. http://www.disabilityhistorywiki.org/wiki/index.php?title=Edward_Seguin
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Dr. Howe (director of the Perkins School for the Blind, created
The Massachusetts School for Idiotic and Feeble-Minded Youth which was the first public school. At the time, blind and deaf students were believed to be intellectually impaired but many blind students resented having to be school with such students. This began a the inclusion/ exclusion movement. Howe is believed to be the father of the modern disability rights movement. Howe warned against institutions. - -
California supreme court case. Ward vs Flood. Ward's family demanded equal education. The case was also about race. The school was granted rights to deny Ward admission in to the school under the premise that she could not complete the lowest grade. This started the movement for ungraded classes.
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https://mn.gov/mnddc/parallels/four/4d/10.html
Many schools for disabilities formed such as in 1899, Chicago created a school for crippled children. -
in 1899 Alexander Graham Bell spearheads the creation of the Department of Special Education.
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https://www.cec.sped.org/~/media/Files/Membership/Elizabeth%20Farrell%20and%20the%20History%20of%20Special%20Education%20Final.pdf
Ferrell believed that classes were separate but not equal. She believed that all children had the right to the same education. -
The early 20th century introduces biological beliefs such as Darwinism. Henry Goddard believed in Eugenics and concepts of Mendel genetics. He believed in controlling desirable traits. H was introduced to the Binet Simon Test in 1905. In 1908 he produced his version of The Binet and Simon Tests of Intellectual Capacity. (modern day intelligence testing taking hold)
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Ferrell did not agree with Goddard's genetic beliefs in regards to feeble mindedness. She created the Council for the Education of Exceptional Children ( Council for Exceptional Children as it is known today) This is the first council for special needs or exceptional children.
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in 1950 parents and friends of intellectually challenged form a group for rights of such children. This association is now known as the ARC
https://thearc.org/about-us/history/ -
https://mn.gov/mnddc/parallels/five/5c/1.html Quote by JFK We as a nation have long neglected the mentally ill
and the mentally retarded. This neglect must end..."
–President John F. Kennedy -
1975 Public Law 94-142
https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/idea35/history/index_pg10.html This law guaranteed a free and appropriate education for all children even those with disabilities. -
Required students with disabilities be educated with non disabled peers. Also required that students with learning needs be identified and given individualized education plans.
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as more and more research is done the history of special education will expand, grow and change.
