History of Special Education

By jlynn03

  • Victor

    The "Wild Boy of Aveyron". Tutored by Itard. Introduced the notion that even children with significant needs could benefit from instruction and were worthy of attention.

  • Connecticut Asylum

    Located in Hartford, CT, The Connecticut Asylum for the Education and Instruction of Deaf and Dumb Persons opens.

  • Perkins Institution for the Blind

    Opened by Samuel Gridley Howe

  • Braille

    Braille code is published.

  • Experimental school for feebleminded youth

    Opened by Howe.

  • American Printing House for the Blind is established.

  • National Deaf Mute College

    Established in 1864, later renamed Gallaudet University

  • Seguin

    Developed a physiological method for children with special needs to teach them to be productive members of society.

  • First special education class in a public school

    Located in Cleveland, OH. Was disbanded soon after.

  • Formal training for blind persons

    Begins at Columbia University.

  • Term "Special Education" is coined.

    Introduced by Alexander Graham Bell.

  • College-level training for teachers begins.

    Teachers are trained at a college-level for students with intellectual disabilities.

  • Intelligence Test

    Basis for modern IQ testing. Published by Alfred Binet and Theodore Simon.

  • Segregated Classes

    Segregated classes in public schools are established.

  • Term "Emotional Disturbance" comes into use.

  • Term "Mentally Retarded" is introduced and "Gifted" occurs in the professional literature.

  • Council for Exceptional Children founded.

  • Autism Characteristics Identified

    Identified in children by Leo Kanner.

  • Asperger syndrome characteristics identified

    Identified by Dr. Hans Asperger, only later identified as "Asperger syndrome" characteristics.

  • Willowbrook State School opens in New York

    Facility for children with intellectual disabilities. Closed in 1987 for horrible conditions.

  • Brown v. Board of Education

  • Term "Learning Disabilities" introduced.

    Coined by Samuel A. Kirk.

  • Christmas in Purgatory

    Published by B. Blatt and F. Kaplan. Expose of life for those with intellectual disabilities in institutions. Led to many law and policy changes.

  • Title IV added to ESEA of 1965

    Congress funded; to disseminate best practices of special education.

  • Mills v. BOE

    Ordered the district to educate all students and implemented specific procedures to determine if a child was to receive special services.

  • Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Children v. The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

    Guarantee that education meant tailoring to students' needs and that children were entitled to free public education.

  • 1974 EAHCA amendments enacted

  • ADA is enacted

  • EAHCA is amended and renamed

    Renamed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

  • IDEA is amended

    Provisions related to transition services, participation by general education teachers, and discipline are added.

  • No Child Left Behind Act

    All students are to be held to high standards.

  • No Child Left Behind Act increases accountability and quality of educators

  • Reauthorization of IDEA

    Raises standards for quality instruction.

  • Rosa's Law

    Signed by Obama. Changed federal language from "mental retardation" to "intellectual disability".