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First School for the Deaf
Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet, a minister, and Laurent Clerc, a deaf teacher from France, founded the first American institution focused on educating deaf children in Connecticut. This school was the first permanent establishment dedicated to the education of deaf students in the United States. The success of this school paved the way for the establishment of other institutions across the country that catered to the educational needs of deaf individuals. -
The Council for Exceptional Children
CEC was founded by administrators, supervisors, and faculty at Teachers College. It is a global organization dedicated to improving the achievements of children and young individuals with disabilities and/or exceptional abilities. It advocates for suitable policies, establishes standards, facilitates professional growth, and helps professionals access the resources necessary for effective practice. -
The beginnings
Many students who had disabilities were prevented from attending public schools, and those who had severe disabilities had to either stay at home or be institutionalized. Students who had mild or moderate learning difficulties often left school before finishing their education. -
Court Case: Brown v. Board of Education
The Supreme Court's decision that school segregation based on race was unconstitutional, even if resources were allocated fairly, was a pivotal moment. It represented the first time that the federal government stood up for students who encountered bias and inequitable treatment in schools, and it established a precedent for future legislation concerning individuals with disabilities. The Supreme Court Explained -
Court Case: Department of Public Welfare v. Haas
Court cases that supported the exclusion of students with disabilities from public education. In Department of Public Welfare v. Haas, the Illinois Supreme Court declared that the state's laws on compulsory education did not mandate a "free public education for children who were 'mentally deficient' and who, because of their limited intelligence were unable to reap the benefits of a good education". Nonetheless, attitudes eventually shifted towards promoting education for all students. -
ESEA
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) established the federal government's duty to protect and serve students from disadvantaged backgrounds to guarantee they had equitable access to the public education system, improving the overall quality of elementary and secondary education in the country. -
Court Case: PARC v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
This legal case questioned the legality of denying public education and training to individuals with intellectual disabilities. The case challenged the practice of excluding these children from public schools and established that they have a right to a free and appropriate public education. This decision paved the way for the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, which required that public schools provide special education services to children with disabilities. -
Vocational Rehabilitation Act
This legislation prohibits discrimination based on disability in federal agency programs, programs receiving federal financial assistance, federal employment, and the employment practices of federal contractors. As a result, individuals with disabilities have increased access to employment opportunities, community services, and higher education institutions. -
Individualized Education Program
The introduction of the IEP into school systems was made possible by the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, which legally recognized the right of students with disabilities to attend public schools. It is a legal document that charts out a personalized educational plan for a student with a disability who qualify for special education services. It establishes academic and functional objectives for the student and outlines the special education services required to help them achieve it. -
Education of All Handicapped Children Act
The law guaranteed a free and appropriate public education to each child with a disability in every state and locality across the country. This was the first federal law that mandated that schools provide equal educational opportunities to students with disabilities, including access to special education and related services, such as speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, and physical therapy. -
Court Case: Honig v. Doe
The Supreme Court ruled that students with disabilities can only be excluded from the classroom if their behavior is a direct threat to the safety of other students or themselves, and that schools must provide alternative educational services to students who are excluded from the classroom. This case strengthened the legal rights of students with disabilities and reinforced the idea of providing education in the least restrictive environment possible. -
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
The Education for All Handicapped Children Act was later reauthorized and expanded under the name of Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This act, among other things, introduced people-first language, broadened the scope of special education services, and extended confidentiality protections to both students and parents. -
Americans with Disabilities Act
This act forbids discrimination against individuals with disabilities in the private sector and ensures equal access to employment, public services, accommodations, transportation, and telecommunications. Schools must provide reasonable accommodations and modifications to ensure that students with disabilities have access to education and school activities on an equal basis with non-disabled peers. -
No Child Left Behind
The main goal was to establish a framework for enhancing the performance of primary and secondary schools in the US and ensuring that no student was left behind in a failing school ensuring that each child had a fair, equal, and significant opportunity to obtain a high-quality education and reach proficiency at a minimum level, by challenging State academic achievement standards. -
Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act
This act amended IDEA, with regulations for school-aged children and for infants and toddlers. The primary objective of this legislation was to guarantee that all children with disabilities receive a suitable education through special education and related services. Learn more about this Law, find resources, and more -
Court Case: Winkelman v. Parma City School District
In the case, a disagreement arose between a school district and a couple, who were also attorneys, regarding the special education services offered to their child who had autism. The parents contended that they had the right to represent their child in a lawsuit under the IDEA, despite not being licensed attorneys. The Court decided in the parents' favor, that parents of children with disabilities have the right to represent their child in legal proceedings under the IDEA without legal counsel. -
Every Student Succeeds Act
President Obama signed the ESSA, which was a pledge towards ensuring equal opportunity for all students. ESSA offers schools more alternatives when students are not making satisfactory progress. It replaced the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). It aims to improve the quality of education by providing more flexibility to states/local school districts in designing and implementing their own education plans. It requires states to develop their own accountability systems based on multiple measures. -
Implementation of the Law
According to the U.S. Department of Education compliance with federal special education law for the previous academic year was not met by less than half of the states.