History of Special Education

By AMcCrory

  • American School for the Deaf opens

    Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet established the first permanent U.S. school for the deaf after observing the educational practices for the deaf in Paris, France. (American School for the Deaf, n.d.)

  • Perkins Institute for the Blind

    Samuel Gridley Howe becomes the first director of the Perkins School for the Blind, chartered by Dr. John Fisher after "observing educational practices in France for people who are blind" (Perkins Milestones, n.d.).

  • Council for Exceptional Children

    A group of administrators attending a summer session at Columbia University form a council to advocate for the rights of children with exceptionalities. (CEC, 2020)

  • Children with Specific Learning Disabilities Act

    The Act passed by Congress is the first time, federal law mandated support services for students with learning disabilities.

  • Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Children v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

    The first "right to education" lawsuit, that resulted in a consent decree to provide free public education to students with mental retardation. This became the foundation for PL 94-142, enacted in 1975. (The Public Interest Law Center, 2019)

  • Section 504 (of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973)

    Prohibits any program that receives federal funding assistance from discriminating against people with disabilities. (DREDF, 2018)

  • Education for all Handicapped Children Act (PL94-142)

    Named PL94-142.Mandates free and appropriate education, in the least restrictive environment for all students, with congress pledging to fund 40% of the additional cost. (OSERS, n.d.)

  • Handicapped Children's Protection Act

    Mandates nondiscriminatory access to all education and food programs for students with disabilities. Also assigns parents to be part of forming their child's IEP, and gives parents the right to a hearing in state or federal court if they don't deem the IEP appropriate. (Law Office of Perry A. Craft, 2016)

  • Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

    PL 94-142 renamed to IDEA. Autism and TBI are added to the list of eligible disabilities. Transition services are required for students. The term "disability" is replaced with the term "handicap." (Sweetland, n.d.)

  • Reauthorization of IDEA

    This first reauthorization included:
    -adding regular education teachers to IEP processes
    -giving special education students more access to general curriculum
    -including special ed students in statewide assessments
    -including ADHD to the list of eligible conditions, specified as "other health impairment"
    (Sweetland, n.d.)

  • No Child Left Behind

    Includes a federal role in public education. Requires that each state determines its own standards, and relies on standardized assessment for accountability. Measures from assessment are used to determine if adequate yearly progress (AYP) is met, and schools are rewarded or punished through Title I funding and corrective measures. (Sweetland, n.d.)

  • IDEA Reauthorized again

    School personnel are more involved in determining placement and alignment with the NCLB Act. (Sweetland, n.d.)