History of Special Education

By Ms.Mara

  • Founding of Council for Exceptional Children

    The Council for Exceptional Children is the largest international organization providing support for children with disabilities. The CEC promotes inclusive and equitable education for all students through training education professionals and developing networks of professionals (CEC, 2023).

  • Brown v. Board of Education

    This supreme court case abolished racial segregation in the school system, setting the platform for inclusive education for children with disabilities (Rothstein, 2021).

  • First Special Olympics

    The first international Special Olympics games were held at Soldier's Field in Chicago, IL. These events promoted inclusion of individuals with disabilities in sports and community activities and had a world-wide effect on the public's view of disability (Special Olympics, n.d.).

  • Mills v Board of Education

    Court ruling that children could not be excluded from education based on 'mental retardation' or any other disability. Enacted the use of due process (Rothstein, 2021).

  • Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act

    Any institution receiving federal funding, such as schools, may not discriminate against an individual based on disability (Rothstein, 2021).

  • Education of the Handicapped Act (EHA)

    EHA ensured that all children had access to a free, appropriate public education. The act, now named IDEA, provided federal funding to states for special education services and outlined the need for data collection to assess the effectiveness of the education (IDEA, 2023).

  • Americans with Disabilities Act

    In title II and III and the ADA, both public and private schools are prohibited from denying a child access to education based on disability. The act requires that reasonable accommodations be made for students (Rothstein,2021).

  • Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

    The reauthorization of EHA included changing the title to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This revision added traumatic brain injury and autism to the disability categories and mandated that transition plans be created for students to prepare them for life post-graduation (IDEA, 2023).

  • No Child Left Behind (NCLB)

    NCLB promoted high expectations in education for all children and mandated state testing to demonstrate that requirements were being met (Rothstein, 2021).

  • Reauthorization of IDEA

    Designed to coordinate with NCLB requirements, the reauthorization of IDEA implemented more rigorous standards for accountability in both identifying and educating children with special needs (IDEA, 2023).