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Period: 500 to 1500
Church is first to provide care for disabled people
The church became the first institution to provide care for physically or mentally impaired people.
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Period: 800 to 27
Not "normal" people are shunned with few exceptions
Isolated examples of caring for and treating disabled individuals in ancient Greece and Rome, however, early societies typically shunned people who suffered from the norm
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Period: 1300 to
First SPED techniques emerge
Development of techniques associated with special education, with an emphasis on human dignity begins to emerge during the Renaissance.
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Period: 1525 to 1575
Deaf pupils first learn to speak, read, and write
Pedro Ponce de Leon succeeded in teach deaf pupils in Spain to speak, read, and write.
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First book on teaching the deaf is published
Juan Pablo Bonet published the first book on the subject of teaching the deaf to speak, read and write.
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Period: to
Sign Language is developed
Charles-Michel abbe de lE'pee changed the nature of communication for deaf and hard of hearing persons by developing sign language into a systematic and convention language. It was further developed by Roch-Ambroise Cucurron and Abbe Sicard.
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First school for the blind is opened
In 1784, in Paris, Valentin Hauy opened the National Institution of Blind Youth with 12 blind children as his first pupils.
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Period: to
Schools for the blind are opened around the world
Additional schools for educating the blind are opened in England, France, Switzerland, Russia, Sweden and North America.
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The Wild Boy of Aveyron Published
Jean-Marc-Gaspard Itard, a French physician and otologist wrote a book about his five-year effort to educate a boy found running wild in the woods of Aveyron. This work became notable for the possibilities it raised regarding the education of persons with mental or emotional disabilities.
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Method devised using physical and sensory activities to develop mental processes
Edouard Seguin, a student of Jean-Marc-Gaspard Itard, devised an educational method to utilize physical and sensory activities to develop the mental processes.
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(CEC) Council for Exceptional Children is founded
The Council for Exceptional Children was founded by a group of administrators and supervisors and faculty.
https://www.cec.sped.org/About-Us/CEC-Milestones
Their mission statement includes a dedication to advancing the success of children with exceptionalities. They accomplish this through advocacy, standards, and professional development.
https://www.cec.sped.org/About-Us/Mission -
(PL 85-905) Captioned Films Acts of 1958 created
The Captioned Films Acts of 1958 supported the production and distribution of accessible films.
https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/idea35/history/idea-35-history.pdf -
(PL 86-158) Training of Professional Personnel Act legislation
The Training of Professional Personnel Act of 1959 helped provide training to administrators and teachers of children with mental retardation. (This is now known as Intellectual and Developmental Disability)
https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/idea35/history/idea-35-history.pdf -
(PL 87-276) Teachers of the Deaf Act of 1961 approved
The Teachers of the Deaf Act of 1961 provided training to instructional personnel to students who were deaf of hearing impaired.
https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/idea35/history/idea-35-history.pdf -
(PL 89-10 & PL 89-313) The Elementary and Secondary Education Act & State Schools Act
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act in addition to the State Schools Act gave assistance with grants to help educate children with disabilities.
https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/idea35/history/idea-35-history.pdf -
1 in 5 students with disabilities educated
US Schools educated only one in five children with disabilities and many state had laws excluding certain schools from school, including those who were deaf, blind, emotionally distrubed, or mentally retarded.
https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/idea35/history/idea-35-history.pdf -
Least Restrictive Environment explained
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(EHA) (PL94-142) The Education for All Handicapped Children Act is passed
The Education for All Handicapped Children Act gives children with exceptionalities specific legal rights to an education. Until then, these children with disabilities were not allowed to attend school at all. The act also contained a provision that stated that these students should be placed in the least restrictive environment to create the opportunity to interact with non-disabled students.
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(IDEA) Individuals with Disabilities Education Act adopted
The EHA was reformulated as the Individuals with Disabilities Act and focused even more on including students with disabilities in the classroom. The IDEA also created rights for parents to be involved in education decisions that affected their child. This was the beginning of IEP, Individualized Education Programs.
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(ADA) Americans with Disabilities Act is passed
Following the adoption of IDEA, the Americans with Disabilities Act was passed and ensured the fair and equal access to employment opportunities as well as public housing and services based disability.
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IDEA is reathorized
Congress upheld the rights of the previous IDEA legislation and added the focus on academic outcomes for students with disabilities.
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(NCLB) No Child Left Behind Act signed into law
The No Child Left Behind Act raises challenges for students with severe cognitive disabilities to take a general test because they are typically unable to achieve proficiency. The Education Department issued regulations giving the states the approval to change the assessments for some students with disabilities. These modifications covered the same content but made the questions easier for those with the most severe cognitive disabilities. -
(PL-108-446) Amendments to IDEA
In 2004, Congress amended the IDEA Act to increase state and local accountability for the education of disabled children as well as expanded the methodology for identifying students with specific learning disabilities. This also continued the commitment and support needed to make sure that those involved in special education and early intervention are highly qualified.
https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/idea35/history/idea-35-history.pdf