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First School for the Deaf
The American School for the Deaf was the first permanent school for the deaf in the United States. It opened on April 15th, 1817 in Hartford, Connecticut. The founders of the ASD were Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet & Laurent Clerc. This school was founded after it was noted that the 84 known deaf children in the area were not receiving the appropriate education. Gallaudet then went to Paris where deaf education was more developed and he recruited Laurent Clerc to incorporate the same ideas in the US. -
First School for the Blind
Perkins School for the Blind was founded on March 2nd, 1829, in Watertown,Massachusetts. It's the oldest school for the blind in the US. The school was originally named New England Asylum for the Blind. This school was opened after John Dix Fisher visited Paris and the National Institute for the Blind. He decided to open up his own school in Boston and named it in honor of Thomas Handasyd Perkins, which happened to be one of the school’s incorporators who began losing his own sight. -
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504)
The Rehabilitation Act of 1937 was enacted of September 26th, 1971. This law prohibits discrimination of people with disabilities in programs that receive federally funded assistance. Section 504 was the first disability civil rights law to be enacted in the US. It ensures that children with disabilities’ needs are met the same way the needs of children without disabilities are. https://www.askearn.org/topics/laws-regulations/rehabilitation-act/ -
FERPA- Family Educational Rights an Privacy Act
President Ford signed a federal law in 1974 that protects the privacy of student education records. It provides additional privacy protection for those receiving special education services & other related services. It gives parents access to their child’s education records, allows them the opportunity to have the records amended and to have some control over how the information is disclosed. When the child reaches 18 or attends school beyond high-school level, the rights are then transferred. -
Education for All Handicapped Children Act
Enacted by US Congress in 1975 & mandates that all public schools that receive federal funds must provide equal access to education & 1 free meal a day for those who have mental & physical disabilities & to ensure that SPED services are available to children who need them, guarantees that decisions about services to students with disabilities are fair & appropriate, to establish specific management & auditing requirements for SPED & to provide federal funds to help the states educate SWD -
Best Buddies
Best Buddies is a non-profit organization founded in 1989 by Anthony Kennedy Shriver that aims at creating opportunities for those with intellectual & developmental disabilities through the help of volunteers. Individuals with disabilities are buddied up with volunteers that offer their time to become their friends/ mentors. It is the largest organization in the world that is dedicated to ending social, physical and economic isolation of those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. -
ADA- The Americans with Disabilities Act
ADA is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in public settings including jobs, schools, transportation, public & private places that are open to the general public. It also helps to make sure that people with disabilities have the same rights as those without and that they are given the same opportunities as everyone else such as those provided to individuals based on their ethnicity, race, sex, age, etc. -
IDEA- Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
IDEA is a law set in place to ensure that the educational rights for students with disabilities & their parents are enforced. It mandates equal opportunities for learners with disabilities, requires accountability & excellence. It also ensures that they receive Free Appropriate Public Education that is tailored to meet their unique learning needs through the use of IEPs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XMndYNEGFA&t=58s -
No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB)
NCLB, is the latest version of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. It is the nation’s federal law related to the education children from Pre-K to high school. Passed in 2002, it requires states to test their students in reading & math from grades 3-8 & once in high school. All students are expected to meet or exceed state standards. The focus of this act is to bridge gaps in student achievement by providing all children the same opportunity & quality of education. -
Autism Speaks
Founded in February of 2005 by Bob & Suzanne Write. They are the grandparents of a child with Autism. Bernie Marcus donated $25M to assist with the costs of launching the organization. The organization merged with 3 previously existing organizations:Autism Coalition for Research & Education, National Alliance for Autism Research & Cure Autism Now. It has made great advancements in the Autism community. It also aims at directing their funds to more research/treatments for those with ASD.
