-
American Asylum for the Education and Instruction of the Deaf and Dumb
On April 15, 1817 Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet, a clergyman, Laurent Clerk, deaf teacher, and Dr. Mason Cogswell were the founders of the first permanent school for the deaf. -
Period: to
History of Special Education
Special Education has come a long way from institutionalizing children with special needs to now including to the best possible way, all students in the general education classroom. -
National College for the Deaf and Dumb
On April 4, 1864, The National College for the Deaf and Dumb was authorized by President Abraham Lincoln by signing the Enabling Act. This college is the only recognized school for the deaf to offer college degrees in the United States. -
American Association on Mental Retardation (AAMR)
In 1876 the American Association of Mental Retardation was established. It is the oldest and largest association dealing with mental retardation. The AAMR has defined the definition of mental retardation, which is used to determine who can and cannot access publicly funded services and support. -
First Special Education Class
Elizabeth Farrell was a pioneer who taught her first special education class in New :York City which consisted of 19 students, twelve of which were diagnosed with mental disabilities. -
Council for Exceptional Children formed.
The Council begins with 12 members. Elizabeth E. Farrell was the Founder and first President, 1922-26. Journal of Exceptional Children (renamed Exceptional Children in 1951) becomes property of CEC. Constitution revised to provide for special interest divisions. htpps://www:cec.sped.org/ -
Department of Special Education is established.
On January 1, 1933 the Department of Special Education was established. The law of 1931 required the teaching of atypical children. Full special education classes were formed. -
Brown vs. Board of Education
In December, 1954 all schools were made to desegregate by race. Ann and Rud Turnbull and Michael Wehmeyer stated that this case was the legal foundation that made it possible for advocates for students with disabilities to challenge classification procedures and seek remedy of a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment. -
Training for Professional Personnel Act of 1959
Also called PL 86-158, this act helped to train leaders and professionals to educate children with mental retardation. This act helped open doors for children with disabilities and their families. -
Education and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
Prevents discrimination based on race, color or national origin in programs or activities that receive federal funding. Signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson on July 2, 1964. https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/docs/hq43e4.html -
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
Title VI is added to the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 creating a Bureau of Education for the Handicapped (this bureau today is called the Office of Special Education Programs or OSEP).
https://youtu.be/QQzCV1UdPLc -
Equal Protection for Students with Disabilities
Two significant supreme court decisions [PARC v. Pennsylvania (1972) and Mills v. D.C. Board of Education (1972)] apply the equal protection argument to students with disabilities. The courts take the position that children with disabilities have an equal right to access education as their non-disabled peers. -
Section 504 of Rehabilitation Act
This national law protects qualified individuals from discrimination based on their disability. This national law was enacted with little fanfare. Most educators were not aware that this applied to public schools. -
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act
Parents are allowed to have access to all personally identifiable information collected, maintained, or used by a school district regarding their child. Signed into law by President Gerald Ford.
https://youtu.be/owJzPCQ_M9U -
Amendment to The Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EAHCA)
EAHCA, along with some key supreme court cases, mandated all school districts to educate students with disabilities. This amendment makes clear that students and parents have rights under EAHCA (now IDEA) and Section 504. -
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
This act grants civil rights to individuals with disabilities. The law states that qualified individuals with disabilities cannot be discriminated against. ADA adopts the Section 504 regulations as part of the ADA statute. https://youtu.be/dFKicqqVME8 -
No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB)
This law calls for all students, including students with disabilities, to be proficient in math and reading by 2014. Signed into law by President George W. Bush http://www.ocvts.org/webdocs/district-policy/nochildleftbehind-summary-pdf.pdf -
Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act
This act will help children learn better by promoting accountability for results, enhancing parent involvement using proven practices and materials, providing more flexibility and reducing paperwork burdens for teachers, states and local school districts. -
Rosa's Law
This law changed the references in federal law from mental retardation to intellectual disability, and references to a mentally retarded individual to an individual with an intellectual disability. The law was put into place to promote a more inclusion atmosphere in the classroom. Signed into law by President Barack Obama. https://youtu.be/Wd-fG97k1Io
