Special education hands

History of Special Education and Inclusive Education

  • AM, School for the Blind

    AM, School for the Blind
    The American Asylum for the Education and Instruction of the Deaf and Dumb (Now named The American School for the Deaf) was the first special education school in the United States. The Asylum was established by Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet on April 15th, 1817 in West Hartford, Connecticut. This school paved the way for many other schools and establishments that were opened later in the 19th century for deaf and disabled students.
  • Brown V. Board of Education

    Brown V. Board of Education
    The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that segregation in schools by race was unconstitutional. Brown V. Board of Education was just one of the five lawsuits against school districts in Kansas, South Carolina, Delaware, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Although, the ruling was met with some resistance, it served as protection for students who had faced inequality and prejudice in school. The case also paved the way for individuals with disabilities to be protected by the federal government.
  • Elem & Secondary Edu Act

    Elem & Secondary Edu Act
    The ESEA was enacted to provide aid, resources, and protection for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, so they would have equal access to public school education. By the ESEA being passed, the free and reduced lunch system was established for students whose basic needs were not being met which meant that every child would get to eat lunch in public schools. The ESEA also helped develop educational programs for students with disabilities for example, the Education of the Handicapped Act.
  • PARC v. Commonwealth

    PARC v. Commonwealth
    PARC v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania – The court ruled that the state could not exclude or deny individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities access to public programs of education and training. Pennsylvania was ordered to provide all children with a free public education and any laws excluding students were deemed unconstitutional. This case paved the way for other protections created for disabled individuals like the Education for all Handicapped Children Act in 1975 (PL 94-142).
  • Mills v. B of Education

    Mills v. B of Education
    Mills v. Board of Education of the District of Colombia – Like the PARC case, this case also involved the exclusion of handicapped children from public schools. This case required the state to provide alternative education services and opportunities for students with disabilities. The case highlighted that students with disabilities could not be denied education based on accommodation additional costs to the school. https://embryo.asu.edu/pages/mills-v-board-education-district-columbia-1972
  • The NCLD

    The NCLD
    The NCLD was founded in 1977 by Carrie and Pete Rozelle as a foundation, but later became a non-profit organization in 1989. The organization’s mission “was to provide leadership, public awareness and grants to support research innovative practices learning in disabilities.” The NCLD provides not only resources for communities and parents of disabled students, but also provides evidence-based tools, serves as an advocate, develops policies, and so much more to support the disabled community.
  • Am, w Disabilities Act

    Am, w Disabilities Act
    The American with Disabilities Act is a law that protects disabled individuals from discrimination in jobs, schools, transportation, and all public and private places open to the general public. The ADA works towards improving the lives of the disabled and are increasing the inclusion of the disabled from work, parking, voting and etc. They also offer resources, assistance, and other information to ensure that the disabled community is treated fairly and are not being discriminated against.
  • IDEA Act 1997

    IDEA Act 1997
    The Individual with Disabilities Act was signed by President Bill Clinton on June 4th, 1997. The act was updated and changed to include and support children with disabilities in a nationwide education reform. The 1997 act strengthened the academic expectations of children with disabilities and made it a national effort to bring parents, schools, and even developing technology together to form a successful educational program.
  • IDEA Act, 2004

    IDEA Act, 2004
    The Amendment to IDEA Act of 2004 changed the way special education services were implemented at that time. It required that the IEP which serves as a roadmap for a student’s educational program must have a measurable annual goal designed to meet the student’s needs. It also put emphasis on ensuring that disabled students are learning in a less restrictive environment and also included new rules on disciplinary actions for students with disabilities that protects them and their education.
  • Every Stu. Succeeds

    Every Stu. Succeeds
    The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) – An act signed by President Obama in 2015 that was a promise to equal opportunity for all students. ESSA replaced the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) of 2002, and offers even more opportunities/support for schools and students when students aren’t making adequate progress. The bill is focused on improving education for all students including students who show low performance in academic areas.
    https://youtu.be/ZINwnEPhiFM