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First School for the Disabled
Edouard Séguin opened the first school for the severely intellectually disabled in the world, His strategy when opening this school was to consider his students as suffering from arrested mental development rather than from disease. His treatment consisted of sensory training that would help them integrate into society. -
Council for Exceptional Children
Council for Exceptional Children is the largest international professional organization for the success of children and youth with disabilities founded in 1922. The CEC advocates for appropriate governmental policies. The CEC also helps professionals obtain the resources necessary for their practice. -
Elementary and Secondary Education Act
Elementary and Secondary Education Act helps low-income families access high-quality education programs. The ESEA increased funding for free and reduced lunches in disadvantaged communities. The ESEA also adds additional teachers to areas that need it the most, therefore increasing opportunities for individuals with disabilities. -
Vocational Rehabilitation Act
The Vocational Rehabilitation Act put a stop to discrimination against persons with disabilities just the basis of the disability amongst organization that uses federal funds. Organizations that accept state or federal money must comply with this act. Individuals with disabilities now have greater access to opportunities in the workplace and education because of this act. -
Education for All Handicapped Children Act
Education for All Handicapped Children Act acknowledged one million handicapped children in the United States don't go through the educational process with their peers. It established the Federal Government should provide programs to meet the educational needs of children with disabilities. This act also promoted a least restrictive environment (LRE) mandate so all students in special education are educated with their typical peers. -
H.H.C. School District v. Rowley
In the Board of Education of the Hendrick Hudson Central School District v. Rowley case, the United States Supreme Court specified the level of services for students with special needs. This case established special education services were needed only to instill some "educational benefit." Public schools were not required to increase educational progress. -
Honig v. Doe
United States Supreme Court ruled students could not be expelled for behaviors related to their disability. Included within this ruling are individuals with emotion/behavior disorders. When local school boards are not able to provide services to students, states must provide them. -
No Child Left Behind
The No Child Left Behind Act increased accountability for the academic performance of children, including those with disabilities. There was an emphasis on standardized tests that both disabled and typical students participated in. The highly polarizing act pushes educators to focus their attention on getting students to pass a test rather than long-term learning. -
Assistive Technology Act
The Assistive Technology Act of 2004 created loan programs for the purchase of assistive technology (AT) devices. With greater accessibility to these devices, the quality of life of people with disabilities increases. Devices such as text-to-speech and braille printers can help students with disabilities integrate into a regular classroom. -
IDEIA
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act increased federal funds to provide early intervention services. It also adopted policies to avoid the overrepresentation of some races and ethnicities. Districts were now able to use a response-to-intervention (RT) model to determine if a student has a learning disability.