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The American School for the Deaf
The American School for the Deaf, which was founded by Thomas Gallaudet, was the first school in the U.S. made for individuals who were deaf or hard-of-hearing. It is located in Hartford, Connecticut.
This school continues to provide educational programs and services to their deaf students and strives to promote equity within the learning environment. -
Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)
The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) is an international education organization that was created by a group of educators and faculty at Columbia University. The main focus was placed on trying to improve the lives of individuals with disabilities by making them feel more included in society. It also aimed to change and establish professional standards for special education. https://exceptionalchildren.org/ -
Brown v. Board of Education
This Supreme Court case ruled that separating children based on race was unconstitutional. It also provided a basis for eliminating separation based on disability. This eventually led to more reform and children with disabilities were able to receive a free appropriate public education. -
Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA)
This act supports initiatives that help low-income families access high-quality education programs. Its goal was to help children who needed extra assistance to benefit from public school and other school programs. ESEA provided children with free and reduced lunches and placed more teachers in underprivileged areas. -
Resource for Education, Advocacy, Communication, and Housing (REACH)
Originally known as Whittier Area Parents' Association for the Developmentally Handicapped, this non-profit organization, which was founded in 1969, supports individuals with a multitude of disabilities such as Cerebral Palsy, Autism, and Down's Syndrome. The goal of this organization is to change stereotypes associated with people who have disabilities and strives to make them feel more included in society. As of now, REACH only serves people in cities located in California. -
Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EAHCA)
The Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EAHCA) is a federal law that supports special education programs and services given to children with disabilities. It required states to give those students a free and appropriate public education. It also made it a requirement for students with special needs to have an individualized education program (IEP) so that goals could be set for the student during the school year. -
Honig v. Doe
A court case that was designed to protect children with special needs. This became a Supreme Court case after John Doe was kicked out of a developmental center for attacking another student that was teasing him. Doe brought a lawsuit against the the school district because he believed the student's removal from the school violated the Education of the Handicapped Act. In the end, it ruled that it was unconstitutional to expel students based on their behaviors related to their disabilities. -
Americans with Disabilities Act
This was a law signed by President George W. Bush in 1990. The act promises that individuals with disabilities will receive the same rights as everyone else. Therefore, people with special needs would no longer be discriminated against in their place of work or in school settings. -
No Child Left Behind Act
The goal of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) was to provide more education opportunities to disadvantaged students. One notable change was that it required at least 95% of students with disabilities to participate in statewide tests. While the change was controversial, it brought more attention to how these children were being affected.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0--2nhsDorg -
Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
This Act was made to replace the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) passed in 2002. It allowed states to have more flexibility in holding schools accountable for student achievement. It also encouraged school districts to get rid of unnecessary testing and allowed states to use other forms of nationally recognized testing, such as the SAT and ACT.