History of Special Education

By Velma
  • Period: to

    Disabled Children Largely Left Out of Schools

    Even before the 1930s, children with disabilities are not largely accepted in schools and no accommodations exist for them. These children are mostly taught at home wherever possible, but they wish they can go to school.

  • Brown v. Board of Education Decided

    Racial segregation in the school system is outlawed by the Supreme Court, allowing African-American children and other minorities to attend schools alongside their white counterparts.

  • Department of Public Works v. Haas Decided

    The Supreme Court of Illinois finds that the State should not hold someone liable for paying educational fees if the child is disabled, esp. in the case of the defendant. Department of Public Welfare v. Haas, 15 Ill. 2d 204, 154 N.E.2d 265 (Ill. 1958)

  • Vocational Rehab Act Takes Effect

    Vocational Rehabilitation is authorized to provide training and an appropriate education for the disabled, as defined.
  • Period: to

    Handicapped Children Defined from Age 3

    Education of handicapped children can now include children ages 3-5, and laws prohibit discrimination against those with handicaps and disabilities.

  • IDEA Act Takes Effect

    • Replaces EAHCA, establishes person-
      first language, expands special education
      services and provisions for due process
      and confidentiality.
    • Adds autism and
      traumatic brain injury categories
    • Provides bilingual education
    • Requires transition services and planning
    (Vaughn et al., 2018)

  • No Child Left Behind

    • Public schools under this act were held accountable for the performance of students and were funded according, primarily with standardized test performance as a major factor.
    • Parents had more of a choice of which school in which to enroll their children, esp. based on such properties as standardized testing performance.