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First humans in America
Education of people with disabilities began with people. The first humans arrived in North America more than 20,000 years ago (Pringle, 2011). People lived for thousands and thousands of years within family groups, regardless of individual development. -
Oct 12, 1492
Columbus sailed the ocean blue
With the arrival of Columbus, came the destruction of Native people and culture, along with their practices of treating all people with dignitiy and respect and realizing the unique gift of diversity and multiple intelligences in people with exceptionalities. -
Sign Language
Sign Language gave to many people a means of communication previously unattainable. This was "the first known attempt to devise specialized traing programs based on disability" (Wood, 2006). -
Sensory Educatoin Schools
In the later part of the 1800's, Edouard Sequin, Maria Montessori, Samuel Howe, and Thomas Gallaudet opened some of the first schools for children with disabilities. Methods focused on sensory education (Wood, 2006). -
NARC Beginnings
The Council for the Retarded Child in Cuyahoga County (Ohio) is among the first organized group of parents and family members to advocate for people with disabilites. Since then, many small and large groups formed throughout the country. The National Association for Retarded Children was officially created in 1952 (www.thearc.org). -
Brown vs. Board of Education
Brown vs. Board of Education declared public education to be "a right which must be made available to all on equal terms" -Cheif Justice Earl Warren (Wood, 2006). -
Civil Rights Act
Although not directly geared towards people with disabilities, the Civil Rights Act laid a foundation of equal opportunity for all (www.ourdocuments.gov). -
Section 504
Written initially to benefit wounded soldiers, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act extended civil rights protection for people with disabilities (Wood, 2006). -
Education for all Handicapped Children
The Education for all Handicapped Children Act established free and appropriate education (FAPE), due process, least restrictive environment (LRE), and zero reject. This was the first legislation mandating that all children, regardless of disability, have access to pucblic education (Wood, 2006). -
IDEA
The Education for all Handicapped Children Act was changed to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. People-first language illustrates a significant shift in how the public views people with disablities and exceptionalities. Since its first publication, IDEA has undergone many updates (Wood, 2006).
