Special Education Issues

Federal Change from Mental Retardation to Intellectual Disability

2010 BCE

In October 2010, Congress passed Rosa's Law, which changed references to “mental retardation” in specified Federal laws to “intellectual disability,” and references to “a mentally retarded individual” to “an individual with an intellectual disability.”  Rosa's Law also required the Federal agencies that administer the affected laws to make conforming amendments to their regulations.

IDEA Amendment

2004 BCE

Amendment included a new provision requiring the special education and related services, supplemental aids and services outlined on a student's IEP need to be based on "peer-reviewed research" to the "extent practicable."
Following are the six major principles of the IDEA :
Free Appropriate Public Education
Appropriate Evaluation
Individualized Education Plan
Least Restrictive Environment
Parent Participation
Procedural Safeguards

Children's Health Act

2000 BCE

The Children's Health Act of 2000 , signed by President Clinton on October 17, 2000, was brought into law to conduct a study focusing on children from before conception to 21 years of age. The law authorized the formation of federal child health funding programs and included a pediatric research initiative in the National Institutes of Health. The focus of the act was to increase research and treatment of numerous health issues concerning children including autism, asthma, epilepsy etc

IDEA

1990 BCE

Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) guarantees equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in employment, public accommodations, transportation. State and local government services, and telecommunications. IDEA is the nation’s special education law. It gives rights and protections to kids with disabilities. It covers them from birth through high school graduation or age 21 (whichever comes first). Parents and legal guardians also have rights under the law.

Education for All Handicapped Children Act

1975 BCE

“specific learning disabilities” was recognized and added as a new
disability category in The Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975. the EAHCA was intended to provide administrators with proof of compliance, teachers with formalized
plans, parents with a voice, and students with an appropriate
education. Along with assurances of nondiscriminatory evaluation,
individualized educational planning, and education in the least restrictive environment.

Association for Children with Learning Disabilities

1963 BCE

Parents first joined forces at a national conference held in
Chicago in 1963. There they formed the Association for
Children with Learning Disabilities. This has now evolved into an organization whose mission is to create opportunities for success for all individuals affected by learning disabilities through support, education, and advocacy.

First institution for research on exceptional children

1951 BCE

In 1951 the first institution for research on exceptional children opened at the University of Illinois and began what was to become the newest focus of the field of special education: the slow learner and, eventually, what we know today as learning disability.

Autism described

1943 BCE

Dr. Leo Kanner described highly intelligent children with specific social development differences, later called early infantile autism.
Kanner observed autism as an emotional disturbance rather than a developmental or cognitive one. Gradually various studies and research suggested that autism was actually rooted in brain development. Gradually researchers of autism had a growing understanding that autism is not a single condition, but a spectrum of conditions.

Council for Exceptional Children

1922 BCE

The International Council for the Education of Exceptional
Children is organized by a group of administrators and
supervisors attending the summer session at Teachers
College, Columbia University, and their faculty members on August 10,1922. This is now the largest international professional organization dedicated to improving the success of children and youth with disabilities and/or gifts and talents.

American Association on Mental Deficiency

1886 BCE

The American Association on Intellectual and Developmental
Disabilities (AAIDD) (formerly the American Association on
Mental Retardation (AAMR) was formed to advocate for
handicapped people's rights. It is the oldest and largest interdisciplinary organization of professionals and others concerned about intellectual and developmental disabilities and has been providing worldwide leadership in the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities.

American Asylum for the Education and Instruction of the Deaf and Dumb

1817 BCE

First special education school in the United States, the American
Asylum for the Education and Instruction of the Deaf and
Dumb (now called the AmericanSchool for the Deaf), was formed in Hartford, Connecticut.
This was the model for education of the deaf for much of the 19th century. Several residential schools for the deaf were established, in which manual sign language was used for instruction. The schools influenced the development of a self-aware community of deaf people.

History of Special Education.

Period: 1817 BCE to 2021 BCE

Journey through the History of Special Education