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1779, three years after the independence of The U.S.A Thomas Jefferson proposed providing education for the poor. Unfortunately, his plan was rejected by the citizens of Virginia.
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The first institution for individuals with disabilities was founded by Thomas Gallaudet. The American Asylum for the Education and Instruction of the Deaf and Dumb was founded in Hartford Connecticut. Black students are not admitted until 1865.
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Supreme Court Justice Earl Warren ruled that segregation in schools were unconstitutional. This reversed the law of sperate but equal was just. Racial segregation was now officially illegal.
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Due to pressure from parent advocacy groups such as the National Association for Retarded Citizens (ARC) Congress Approves funding for Special Education teachers laying the foundation for inclusion classes in the future.
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In the Early 70's Washington DC and Pennsylvania, courts rule that students labeled as "mentally retarded" have the right to a free and appropriate education prohibiting their denial from public schools.
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The Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as Amended (Rehab Act) prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in programs conducted by federal agencies, in programs receiving federal financial assistance, in federal employment and in the employment practices of federal contractors.
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Section 504 of the 1973 Rehabilitation Act was the first disability civil rights law to be enacted in the United States. It prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in programs that receive federal financial assistance, and set the stage for enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
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IDEA was originally enacted by Congress in 1975 to ensure that children with disabilities have the opportunity to receive a free appropriate public education, just like other children. The law has been revised many times over the years.
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The U.S. Office of Special Education Programs introduces the Regular Education Initiative. This initiative marks a way for special education departments and general education departments to work together in hopes of finding ways for students with and without disabilities to be taught together in the general education classroom
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The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 outlawed and prohibited discrimination against people in all public areas of life. This included schools, places of employment, and any public or private place open to the general public. Title I, II, III, IV, and V are all provisions of ADA and help to ensure that people with disabilities are treated equally under the law.
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In 1992, a NASBE study called for the inclusion of all students in the general education classroom, this included changes in instructional practices.
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The Educate America Act of 1994 allowed Congress to establish educational goals that applied to all students including those with severe disabilities. This is one of the first laws passed to create an inclusion setting in the American school system.
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In 2001 President George W. Bush signed the No Child Left Behind Act. The primary purpose of NCLB is to ensure that students in every public school achieve important learning goals while being educated in safe classrooms by well-prepared teachers. However, due to the implementation of standardized testing, inclusion advocates felt that it would undermine the differentiation methods needed to reach children with disabilities.
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In 2004 IDEA is reaffirmed with a six pillar concept to ensure that all students with disabilities had access to education. They are as follows: Free/Appropriate Public Education, Least Restrictive Environment, Appropriate Evaluation, Parent/Teacher Participation, and Procedural Safeguards.
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RTI or Response to Intervention is the idea that in order to reach a student who may need extra support in their educational needs, we have to take a proactive approach to teach them. It is important to provide interventions from the moment we notice a potential challenge for the student. It cannot wait till the student is failing before interventions are in place because then the student can be misplaced in the wrong setting
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The future of Inclusion is unknown at this time however, what is known is that it will continue to build and prove itself to be an important part of the educational system. As terminology changes the need for more inclusive classrooms will only become more important. Students benefit from inclusive settings. This allows them to become more productive citizens disabled or not!
