Timeline of Special Education

  • American Asylum for the Deaf and Dumb

    1817-Rev. Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet becomes principal of the American Asylum for the Education of The Deaf and Dumb, the first residential school in the U.S.
  • New England Asylum for the Blind

    New England Asylum for the Blind
    Samuel Gridley Howe establishes the New England Asylum for the Blind
  • Braille Code

    Braille Code
    In 1834, Louis Braille publishes the braille code
  • First Teacher Training Program

    First Teacher Training Program
    In 1839, the first teacher training program opens in Massachusetts
  • Massachusetts School for Idiotic and Feeble Minded Children

    Massachusetts School for Idiotic and Feeble Minded Children
    1848- Samuel Gridley Howe establishes the Massachusetts School for the Idiotic and Feeble Minded Children
  • First public school class for children with hearing impairments open in Boston

    First public school class for children with hearing impairments open in Boston
    1869- First Public School class for children with hearing impairments open in Boston
  • First Professional Association

    First Professional Association
    1876-Edward Seguin helps to organize the first professional association concerned with disabilities (mental retardation) predecessor to today's American Association on Mental Retardation
  • National Education Association establishes a section for teachers of children with disabilities

    National Education Association establishes a section for teachers of children with disabilities
    1897- NEA establishes a section for teachers of children with disabilities
  • Elizabeth Farrel

    Elizabeth Farrel
    1898- Elizabeth Farrel later to become the first president of the Council for exceptional children, begins a program for "backwards," or "slow learning" children in NYC
  • Training Programs

    Training Programs
    1904-the Vineland Training School in NJ inaugurates training programs for teachers of students with mental retardation
  • Stanford- Binet Scale of Intelligence

    Stanford- Binet Scale of Intelligence
    1916-Louis Terman publishes the Stanford-Binet Scale of Intelligence
  • Training program for gifted

    Training program for gifted
    Teachers college, Columbia University , begins training program for teachers of pupils who are gifted
  • Council for Exceptional Children

    Council for Exceptional Children
    1922-Organization that would later become the Council for Exceptional Children is founded in NYC
  • COUNCIL FOR EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN

    COUNCIL FOR EXCEPTIONAL CHILDREN
    1922-organization that would later become the council for exceptional children is founded in nyc
  • Seeing Eye Dogs

    Seeing Eye Dogs
    1928-Seeing eye dogs are introduced in the US
  • First Compulsory Law

    First Compulsory Law
    1936- First Compulsory law for testing the hearing of school age children is enacted in NYC
  • United Cerebral Palsy

    United Cerebral Palsy
    1949-UCP association is founded
  • Association for Retarted Children

    Association for Retarted Children
    1950-ARC is founded
  • National Association for Gifted

    National Association for Gifted
    1953-national association for gifted is founded
  • Association for children with learning disabilities

    Association for children with learning disabilities
    1963-Association for children with learning disabilities is founded
  • Wolfe Wolfensberger

    Wolfe Wolfensberger
    1972-Wolfe introduces the concept of normalization, initially coined by Begt Nigre of Sweden to the US
  • public law 93-112

    public law 93-112
    1973- public law 93-112 the vocational rehabilitation act of 1973, is enacted; Section 504 prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities
  • Education for All Handicapped Children Act (PL 94-142)

    Education for All Handicapped Children Act (PL 94-142)
    1975-Education for All Handicapped Children is passed; landmark legislation ensures, among other provisions, a free and appropriate public education for all children with disabilities
  • Education of the Handicapped Act Ammendments of 1986

    Education of the Handicapped Act Ammendments of 1986
    1986-EHS of 1986 is enacted; mandates a special education for preschoolers with disabilities and incentives for providing early intervention services to infants and toddlers
  • Americans with Disabilities Act (PL-101-336)

    Americans with Disabilities Act (PL-101-336)
    1990- Americans with disabilities act becomes law; prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability
  • PL-101-476

    PL-101-476
    1990-PL-101-476, the individuals with Disabilioties Education Act (commonly known as IDEA) is passed; among oother provisions, emphasizes transition planning for adolescents with disabilities
  • Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (PL-105-117)

    Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (PL-105-117)
    1997- Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (PL-105-117) is reauthorized, providing a major retooling and expansion of services for students with disabilities and their families
  • NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND

    NO CHILD LEFT BEHIND
    All students including those with disabilities should be proficient in math and reading by the year 2014
  • AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT

    AMERICAN RECOVERY AND REINVESTMENT ACT
    Signed by president Obama, this campaign promises "funding the individuals with disabilities education act", and 12.2 billion dollars in additional funds
  • IDEA REAUTHORIZED

    IDEA REAUTHORIZED
    Students with disabilities are now required to be included on state and district wide assessments. Regular education teachers are to be included on the IEP team.
  • THE FUTURE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION

    THE FUTURE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION
    *FUTURE OF SPECIAL EDUCATION *
    In spite of decreased backing, old fashioned evaluation, and the need for resources, special education continues to evolve and thrive alongside technology. A lot of teachers see these tools helping the future of special-Ed and helping to close the gap, leveling out the learning curve for all students, in spite of their disabilities that have put them at an advantage in the past. We hope for a special education system changing for the best and not reverting.