History of Special Education and Inclusive Education

By Sfuen001

  • National Association for Retarded Citizens

    A parent advocacy group formerly known as the National Association for Retarded Citizens and National Association of Parents and Friends of Mentally Retarded Children was organized in 1950. Their mission was to find different forms of education for children with disabilities. Now the ARC has over 600 state and local chapters across the US and approximately 140,000 members.

  • Ass. for Children with Learning Disabilities

    The Association for Children with Learning Disabilities (ACLD) – was formed in 1963 after a conference held by parents of children with learning disabilities from around the world. The ACLD is now the Learning Disabilities Association of America (LDA) and their mission is to provide support, education, and to advocate for all individuals with learning disabilities.

  • Elementary and Secondary Education Act

    Elementary and Secondary Education Act was passed in 1965 by President Lyndon B Johnson, as part of his “War on Poverty”. The act provides equal access to education by assisting with funding to schools with low-income families. This act requires students with disabilities to be included in the student achievement system.

  • PARC v Commonweath of PA

    The Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Children (PARC) filed a lawsuit to overturn a law that denied access to education for children with mental disabilities. The outcome of this lawsuit set way for a new standard of education laws and allowed more children to receive special education services. A decree was set in place which required the state to evaluate and place all students with disabilities in a publicly funded educational program. [https://youtu.be/LOEX1YnkPFg?si=kL8EcnOESTuUqaHW]

  • Education for All Handicapped Children Act

    President Ford signed the EAHCA which protects the rights of students with disabilities and assists states with resources to deliver these rights. EAHCA requires that public schools who accept these funds must provide equal access to education, provide one free meal a day for children with disabilities, develop and individualized education program for each special needs child with the involvement of the child’s parents, and provide an inclusive setting for the child.

  • Honig v Doe

    In 1988, the US Supreme Court ruled that the San Francisco School board had violated the EAHCA law by indefinitely suspending for violent and disruptive behavior due to his disability. This ruling made it clear that schools cannot expel students for behaviors related to their disability. In accordance with IDEA, students who have an IEP cannot be suspended from school for more than 10 days.

  • Ind. w/ Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

    IDEA was originally part of the EAHCA, however, amendments made to this law in 1990 changed the name to IDEA. IDEA law mandates that all students receiving special education receive an Individualized Education Program (IEP). This law also provides early intervention services to infants and children up to age 3. This law also specified that students with disabilities should be included in a general educational environment.

  • Cedar Rapids v Garret F.

    The Cedar Rapids School District v Garret F. was a case involving a quadriplegic student needing a ventilator. The school district denied a request for the school to the pay for health care needed during the school day. In 1999 the Supreme Court ruled that IDEA required school districts to provide school health services provided by a qualified school nurse. If the services are “related” to keeping the student with disabilities in school, then government funded schools must provide them.

  • No Child Left Behind Act

    The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) is a federal law meant to improve public schools and student performance. The law was passed in 2001 and was in place until 2015. The NCLB act enforces school districts to focus on the academic achievement of under-served communities, including low income students, students with disabilities and students of racial and ethnic minority backgrounds. [https://www.edweek.org/policy-politics/no-child-left-behind-an-overview/2015/04]

  • Ind. w/ Disabilities Ed. Improvement Act

    In 2004 the IDEA act was amended to the IDEIA. This act combines provisions from the NCLB act and IDEA. This act also raises licensure standards for special education. This act also enables students to be placed in Least Restrictive Environment (LRE). This act also adds autism and traumatic brain injury into the disability categories.