History of Special Education

By khair

  • Connecticut Asylum at Hartford for the Instruction of Deaf and Dumb Persons Open

    The first school for the deaf in the United States. Was founded by Dr. Mason Cogswell, he created the school for his daughter what became deaf because of Scarlet fever.

  • New England Asylum for the Blind Opens

    The school was created by Dr. John Fisher. He found the idea for the school from a school in Paris. Helen Keller was one of the famous graduates of the school.

  • Term "Learning Disability" used

    Samuel A. Kirk first used the term to define children with perceptual disorders.

  • Association for Children with Learning Disabilities is formed

  • Diana vs. California State Board

    A new law was created which requires children to be tested in their first language when being tested for special education placements.
    Diana was a Mexican-American who was placed in and Educably Mentally Retarded (EMR) classroom, with results from her assessment that was given to her in English. It was argued she would have placed better if it were given to her in Spanish.

  • Pennsylvania Association for Retarded children(PARC) vs. the State of Pennsylvania

    It was argued that children who are mentally retarded deserve a free education. Before students who did not atain a mental age of five before Kindergarten were not allowed in Public Schools.

  • Mills vs. Board of Education of Washington DC

    This court case was an extension of the PARC vs. Pennsylvania ruling that all students with other disabilities not just mentally retarded students.

  • Rehabilitation act became law

    This law creates civil rights for all people with disabilities in federally funded institutions. This requires accommodations in schools and access to schools and access to buildings. This is the modern day "504 plan" that are in place for students who do not qualify for an IEP.

  • Education of All Handicapped Children Act

    This act requires that all handicapped children be given free public education that is tailored to the students needs in the least restrictive setting.

  • Honig vs. Doe

    The Supreme Court ruled that in California students cannot be suspended for their behaviors that are related to the child's disability.
    Honig was a 20 year old that had not yet graduated High School, he was suspended for behaviors that were related to his handicap, which he was not purposely doing.

  • IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act) takes over public law 94-142

    The terminology used in the IDEA was changed, such as "disability" be used instead of "handicapped" and the terms, "autism" and "traumatic brain injury" were added.

  • The ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) became a law.

    This law prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities, this is also included in the school setting.

  • No Child Left Behind Act is approved

    Congress approved, and President Bush made it a law. This replaces the ESEA of 1965 and Bilingual act of 1968.

  • IDEA was modified for a second time

    Changes were made to this law. Changes such as:
    - modifications to the IEP
    -Increased authority given to school administrators and teachers for special education placement.
    - School districts need to use RTI (Response to interventions) for student progress monitoring.

  • American Association on Mental Retardation (AAMR) becomes American Association on Intulectual and Developmental Disabilities. (AAIDD)

  • Endrew F. vs. Douglas County School District

    This was a unanimously ruled case that schools must offer "IEP reasonably calculated to enable child to make progress"
    Endrew's is Autistic, his parents enrolled him in a private school because they felt the public school was not adequate.