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American School for the Deaf Opens
In 1817, Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet founded the American School for the Deaf. He traveled to Europe to learn how to educate children who are deaf at the School for the Deaf in Paris France. With the help of Laurant Clerc, a teacher who was also deaf, they opened the first permanent school for deaf children in America. The American School for the Deaf was the foundation for specialized education in America, and inspired many other countries to found institutions as well. -
Perkins Institution for the Blind
In 1829, John Dix Fisher visited the National Institute for the Blind in Paris and was inspired to establish the first school for the blind in the United States. The Perkins Institute for the Blind is responsible for paving the way in educating children who are blind and expanding into deaf-blind education. The Perkins Institute is responsible for educating Helen Keller and Lara Bridgman. -
Law Mandating Compulsory Education
This case was the first mention of a child being excluded from education due to a disability. The school system denied Beattie access to school due to “his physical condition and ailment produces a depressing and nauseating effect on the teachers and school children; that by the reason of his physical condition he takes up an undue portion of the teacher’s time and attention, distracts from the other pupils, and interferes generally with the discipline and progress of the school.” -
Council for Exceptional Children
In 1922 a group of administrators founded the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC). The CEC is the largest professionally recognized organizations committed to servicing students with disabilities. The CEC paved the way in specialized education and still leads in exceptional student education practices today. They provide support and advocacy for families and students with special needs. -
Autism Classification
Leo Kanner was the first psychologist to publish a paper classifying autism. Kanner viewed autism as a profound emotional disturbance but he recognized that the children had exceptional memory and intelligence. Kanner’s paper inspired other psychologists to dig deeper into the mystery and classifications of autism. -
Brown V Board of Education
Brown v Board of education has become a cornerstone for the civil rights movement as well as the development of special education. Although the main draw of the court hearing was denial of education due to race, this ruling pushed special education forward by declaring, “Separate educational facilities are inherently unequal” and would violate the fourteenth amendment. This ruling allowed students with disabilities to have the right to an equal opportunity for a proper education. -
Public Law 94-142
All children with disabilities were to be educated “to the maximum extent that is appropriate”. This law governed that the education of students with disabilities was not contingent on the placement of students, they must be educated and educated with their non disabled peers. This law was the first mention of educating children in the Least restrictive environment and began the idea that all children can learn and inspired Link text -
Americans with Disabilities Act
George H.W Bush signed ADA into effect in 1990 outlawing the discrimination of citizens with disabilities from typical every day opportunities including employment opportunities, attending state or national programs, or purchasing goods. This act promoted an equal opportunity for all by clearly outlining enforceable standards that address the discrimination of people with disabilities. -
No Child Left Behind
In 2002 No Child Left Behind Act was established to ensure all students had access to qualified teachers, close achievement gaps, and to guarantee that all students met proficiency. This act required annual testing that later acted as an accountability safeguard for students in special education. This act was created with the quality of education at the forefront with new higher expectations and rewards through funding for higher preforming schools. -
IDEA (2004)
This law required public schools to educated children with disabilities with equity, accountability, and excellence. IDEA 2004 is the cornerstone for modern day exceptional student education and is an avid advocate for ensuring that parents have access to their rights and the resources they need as you can see here: Link text
