History of Special Education

By Alicen

  • Brown vs. Board of Education

    While this court case focused mainly on eliminating racial segregation, it also paved the way for special ed learners to be given free and appropriate education along with other frequently discriminated groups.

  • Special Olympics

    Created by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, the Special Olympics were a way for individuals with disabilities to compete in sports and build up as well as celebrate their abilities.

  • Normalization and Deinstitutionalization

    Movements mainly in the 70's that wanted to break stereotypes and mistreatment of individuals with disabilities. Normalization wanted to break barriers in "normal life" for them and Deinstitutionalization wanted to get them out of residential institutions and into their own homes with family/ smaller groups.

  • Education for All Handicapped Children Act

    Commonly known as PL 94-142, this is a federal law that requires public schools to provide appropriate and free education to all individuals with disabilities between the ages of 3-21

  • Hudson vs. Rowley

    Court case that determined that appropriate education does not necessarily mean that which achieves maximum achievement. This case was brought by parents of a deaf child demanding an interpreter in the classroom, but the court believed that she was achieving enough to meet the standards of the law.

  • Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

    This law makes sure that children and youths with disabilities have the right to free, appropriate public education. It is an amendment from the act passed in 1975.

  • Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

    Ensures the rights of individuals with disabilities to nondiscriminatory treatment of all aspects of their lives such as transportation, public accommodations, state and local government, telecommunications, and employment.

  • IDEA Amended

    This is the third time IDEA was amended. This time the changes focused mainly on private school placement by the parents and the requirements for that.

  • Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA)

    This is the fourth amendment of the original Education for All Handicapped Children Act passed in 1975. This includes rights to identification, due process, consultations, LRE's, IEP's, Nondiscriminatory Evaluation, Confidentiality, Personnel Development.

  • Endrew F. vs Douglas County School District

    The Supreme Court ruled that an educational program must provide "more than de minimus." This case was also brought by parents concerned about their child and believed he was entitled to more under the law. Because he was merely meeting minimum standards the court ruled that the school and his IEP must do more.