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First School for Disabled Children
Thomas Gallaudet, Laurent Clerc, and Samuel Howe opened the Connecticut Asylum for the Education and Instruction of Deaf and Dumb Persons in Hartford, Connecticut. The school's name was later changed to the American School for the Deaf and continues to serve students to this day. The opening of the American School for the Deaf is significant because it inspired other special-needs institutions around the U.S. and signaled a change in attitudes toward the education of children with disabilities. -
Council for Exceptional Children
The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) was founded by educators connected with Columbia University. In its founding year, the CEC put forward professional standards for special education as a fundamental goal of the organization. From its founding to today, the CEC has established chapters across the United States and plays a significant role in equipping and empowering educators and special needs students. About the CEC -
Brown v. Board of Education
The U.S. Supreme Court rejected the doctrine of "separate but equal" in their ruling between the parents of Linda Brown and Topeka, Kansas' Board of Education. This ruling set the standard for inclusion in education as a constitutionally guaranteed right. This ruling laid the foundation for advances in Special Education and inclusion in public schools for years to come. -
Panel on Mental Retardation
President’s Panel on Mental Retardation was appointed by President Kennedy to create a nationwide plan to address mental retardation. The following year, the panel reported to the president indicating that there were major improvements to be made in services provided by state institutions. Kennedy’s panel provided recommendations that impacted the president's efforts to address intellectual disability. -
ESEA Signed
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) was signed into law by President Johnson. ESEA allocated federal resources for schools to better meet the needs of students with disabilities. ESEA played a part in ensuring that all students had access to educational opportunities, regardless of their circumstances. -
Lab School Opens
The Lab School of Washington was founded by Sally L. Smith in response to her child's experience in the education system. The school pioneered the Academic Club Method which sought to teach academic material through innovative, artistic, and highly individualized approaches. The Lab School set a precedent for educating students with special needs and continues to operate to this day. -
PARC v. PA
the Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Children (PARC) challenged the Pennsylvania Commonwealth in the District Court. Before this case, Pennsylvania law enabled public schools to bar students with intellectual impairments from their programs. PARC v. PA ended with the state agreeing to allow children with mental retardation access to free, public education. -
Congress enacts EHA
The Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EHA) required all public schools to provide a "free and appropriate" education to all students. This law included groundbreaking principles like the "least restrictive environment" & Individualized Education Programs. This law is the predecessor of the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act.
Dan Stewart: Education Rights -
ADA Signed into Law
President Bush signed the Americans with Disabilities Act which prohibited discrimination based on disability in the workplace and in public settings. Lobbyists and activism helped to establish support for the ADA. The bill established a legal framework for anti-discrimination action in the workplace and laid out standards for accommodation in public spaces. -
IDEA Reauthorized
President Clinton reauthorized the IDEA with amendments that addressed Individualized Education Programs and prioritized inclusion in the classroom. In 2004 the IDEA was reauthorized again and continued advocating for special needs students placement in the least restrictive environment. Continuing federal support for the IDEA is essential to ensuring nationwide implementation and adherence to the rights of individuals with disabilities in education. -
OCR "Dear Colleague" Letter
The Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights published a Dear Colleague Letter in support of the rights of students with special needs. The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) letter clarified the requirements for schools in providing all students equal opportunity to participate in extracurricular activities. The OCR's letter highlighted the need for continued advocacy for special needs students in all areas of education.