-
In 1817 the first special education school in the United States, the American Asylum for the Education and Instruction of the Deaf and Dumb (now called the American School for the Deaf), was established in Hartford, Connecticut, by Gallaudet. -
Brail code is first published -
American printing house for the blind is established -
Segregated classes in the public schools are established as viable alternatives to instructing children with disabilities the term emotional disturbance comes into use. -
The term mentally retarded is introduced; the term gifted appears in the professional literature -
Council for Exceptional children is founded -
U.S. Supreme Court hands down decision in Brown vs. Board of Education -
Samuel A. Kirk introduces the term learning disability -
Congress enacted Public Law 94-142 in 1975, also known as The Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975. -
On October 5th, 2010 President Obama signed S. 2781, known as Rosa's law, requiring the federal government to replace the term "mental retardation" with "intellectual disability" in federal education, health, and labor laws. The law is named after Rosa Marcellino who is 9 years old and was born with Down syndrome.