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First Am. School for the Deaf (ASD)
The American School for the Deaf (ASD), which was initially called The American Asylum... For the Education and Instruction of the Deaf, was the first permanent school for the deaf in the United States. It resides in West Hartford, Connecticut, and still exists as a school today, which has a bilingual American Sign Language and English education program. The school also contains up-to-date technology with various accessibility aids and technology such as captioning. -
Perkins School for the Blind Established
Perkins School for the Blind, also know as Perkins Institution for the Blind and originally called New England Asylum for the Blind, was established in 1829 and is still active today. Perkins is the oldest school for the blind in the United States and is located in Watertown, Massachusetts. Perkins has created their own braille tools, such as the Perkins Brailler, which is used to create embossed books with braille. -
Brown v. Board of Education
In this landmark Supreme Court case, Brown v. Board of Education ruled that the segregation of students in public school on the basis of race was illegal and unconstitutional. The term "separate but equal" was used to justify segregation, and was established in the Supreme Court case Plessy v. Ferguson in 1896. This ruling undone the previous, and stated it was a violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment. The Lasting Legacy of Brown v. Board -
Elementary and Secondary Ed. Act (ESEA)
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) was passed by the 36th president Lyndon B. Johnson and granted more federal funding, services, and more support for students in public schools. A priority of ESEA was equal access education, allowing schools to have access to more resources for their students, especially those who were poverty-stricken and required additional needs. This act was an important step for building support for students and lowering the achievement gap. -
The Rehabilitation Act of 1973
The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, particularly Section 504, contains some essential anti-discrimination rights and inclusion for disabled people, including in education. A 504 Plan, which is an agreement that secures the accommodations and required needs of a disabled student, was named after Section 504 of this act. This section protects people with disabilities and gives them more opportunities and even additional support or accommodations in the classroom. -
Ed. for All Handicapped Children Act
The Education for All Handicapped Children Act furthered the concept of equal access to education, creating a more inclusive environment for disabled students. Importantly, this act allowed schools to create plans for students, that would allow them to experience school with non-disabled students while gaining the additional assistance they need, tailored to them. The main goal of this act was to allow disabled students equal schooling opportunities.
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Honig v. Doe
The Honig v. Doe Supreme Court decision ruled that no student can be suspended or expelled from school due to the students disability. The student, Doe, was expelled due to an outburst caused by teasing from his classmates, due to his disability leading him to not have great impulse control. A school not allowing a student to attend due to their disabilities is prohibited and unconstitutional. -
Individuals with Disabilities Ed. Act (IDEA)
Similarly to previous disability in education acts, Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is an act that highlights the importance of inclusive education and meeting the individual and particular needs of disabled students. IDEA is the updated version of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, and elaborates on the ideas of equal opportunity. IDEA requires schools to create Individualized Education Programs for each student, as every disabled student is different. -
No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB)
No Child Left Behind (NCLB) acts as an accountability measure for schools, ensuring that students, no matter how much additional help they require, will not be left behind. It emphasizes that schools should have established goals that are measurable and requires schools to conduct assessments on every student. NCLB was created to prioritize the assessment and growth of disabled and other disadvantaged students, to ensure they are receiving the education they deserve. -
Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
As a replacement to No Child Left Behind, the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) expands on the ideas of every student receiving and having access to free, high-quality public education from grades K-12. This law expanded the federal governments role in public education and maintaining high standards for all schools and all students, and maintaining annual assessments. All students are held to the same standards academically, unless their disabilities require alternative assessment measures.