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American School for the Deaf
American School for the Deaf opened in 1817 and was established by Thomas Gallaudet. After graduating from Yale, he traveled abroad to Europe to learn more about special education and brought that knowledge back with him to America. Then he partnered with a deaf teacher that he met in France to help him finally open the school. Also in this year, he created American Sign Language which he modelled after Old French Sign Language and home sign languages. -
Council for Exceptional Children
The Council for Exceptional Children is the largest organisation that works to improve the success of children with disabilities. One of their main duties is to develop practices, standards, and principles in order to help educators provide the best environments for learning and success. It was founded by Elizabeth E. Farrell who was also the first person to teach a special education class. -
Brown v. Broad of Education
The Brown v. Board of Education was a landmark Supreme Court case which led to the creation of IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act). This also required access to a free and public education for children with disabilities. In this case, it was decided that regardless of race, gender, or disability that everyone should have the right to education. -
Elementary and Secondary Education Act
The ESEA was a law passed by President Lyndon B. Johnson which increased the quality of instruction and to improve academic success of students with disabilities. This provided federal funding to support low-income families and to further emphasise equal access to education. -
Education for Handicapped Children Act
In 1975, President Gerald Ford signed the Education for Handicapped Children Act which guaranteed a free and public access to education or (FAPE). This also ensured that services were available for special needs children. It protected the rights of students and their families as well. The EHA required schools to give special education students one free meal a day. -
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)
The Americans with Disabilities Act is a law that was passed to prohibit discrimination based on disability. It includes all public and private spaces as a way to ensure that people with disabilities have the same rights and opportunity as everyone else. [https://adata.org/ada-law-regulations-and-design-standards] -
(IDEIA) Individuals w/ Disabilities Education Improvement Act
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act was passed by George W. Bush. It is a law that focused on the equity, accountability, and excellence in education for children with disabilities. This law was made to revise the IDEA of 1997, and has continued to be revised. -
Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
The ESSA replaced the No Child Left Behind Act of 2002, and required students to receive proper preparation for college and be successful. It also worked to improve the quality of lower performing schools and provided better protection to students who attend those schools. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i69cO5Ku_7Y]