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Institut National des Jeunes Aveugles
National Institute for Blind Children, located in Paris, was the first special education school for blind students. It was not until the late 18th century that society began to take an interest in the education of the blind. Until that time, they were considered mostly uneducable and untrainable. Many different subjects such as grammar, music, history, and science were taught there. -
Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)
The main goal of the CEC is to meet the goals of individuals with disabilities or those who are gifted; it helps professionals and organizations attain helpful resources for people with exceptionalities. Members of the CEC work with legislators at the local, state, and national level to modify current policies and pass new ones. They strive to provide up-to-date resources to ensure individuals can reach their maximum potential. -
Brown vs. Board of Education
This court case laid the foundation for the 1975 federal law, Education for All Handicapped Children Act. The court ruled that “separate educational facilities are inherently unequal.” This statement was a stimulus for a civil rights movement that sought to integrate people with disabilities into every aspect of society. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1siiQelPHbQ -
Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EAHCA)
Requires free and appropriate education for students with disabilities (ages 5-18) and IEPs, defines least restrictive environment, provides public education at no cost to parents; this act significantly improved opportunities for individuals with disabilities. Separate schooling may occur when the nature of the disability is such that instructional goals cannot be achieved in the regular classroom. -
Advocating Change Together (ACT)
ACT is an organization for individuals with developmental and other disabilities. They lead workshops, administer peer networks, and create training materials to help individuals with disabilities integrate in work places with individuals with no disabilities. The mission of their organization is to “empower individuals, connect them to the disability rights movement, and work together to build stronger communities.” -
International Association of Special Education
The mission of IASE is to improve the quality of life and service delivery for all individuals with special needs, encourage and promote research to advance the field of special education and share that information through official publications, work collaboratively with other special education organizations for worldwide promotion of the interests of individuals with special needs, and more. -
Daniel R.R. v. State Board of Education
It was determined that students with disabilities have a right to be included in both academic and extracurricular programs of general education. The act and its regulations require schools to offer a continuum of services. Thus, the school must take intermediate steps where appropriate. The appropriate mix will vary from child to child and, it may be hoped, from school year to school year as the child develops. https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED386005.pdf -
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
This act ensured the equal treatment and equal access of people with disabilities to employment opportunities and to public accommodations. IDEA states that individuals with disabilities are entitled to Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). It also strives to provide additional educational services and procedural safeguards to individuals with disabilities. IDEA required that education be provided in the least restrictive environment for each child-students should be taught in regular class. -
Holland Case
Rachel was an 11-year-old girl placed in a variety of special programs in the local school district. Her parents sought to place her in a regular classroom, but the court proposed that she be placed in a special ed. class. However, the parents requested due process and Rachel was placed in a KG class. The court found that Rachel had benefitted from her regular KG classroom and noted that the district had overstated the cost of putting her in regular education. -
No Child Left Behind (NCLB)
Enacted "to improve the performance of America’s elementary and secondary schools while at the same time ensuring that no child is trapped in a failing school.” This act increases the role of the federal government in guaranteeing the quality of public education for all children in the United States, allows school districts flexibility in they use federal education funds to improve achievement, and increases the choices available to the parents of students attending Title I schools.
