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The American School for the deaf was the first educational institution that was centered around special education in the United States. In 1817, census data reported 80 deaf children in New England and 800 deaf children in the U.S, displaying a need for a special education institution. On April 15th, 1817, Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet, Laurent Clerc, and Dr. Mason Cogswell, founded the school which in turn made leaps and bounds for the special education community of West Hartford, Connecticut. -
The Arc, formerly founded as NARC (1953), was lead by parent groups of children with disabilities who expressed concerns with the exclusion of special needs children in general education. The Arc became the first organization to put money into research on intellectual and developmental disabilities. Through the decades, The Arc has advocated and continues to advocate for the passage of state and federal legislation on behalf of people with disabilities. -
Before the 1950's special needs children were cast out, sometimes institutionalized, and not accepted in general education. It wasn't until almost 100 years after the American School for the deaf was opened that education laws began to desegregate & special education followed inclusion. In 1954, Brown v. Board, the Supreme Court ruled to desegregate public schools. It was the first time in history that children who suffered prejudice and exclusion were considered as equal in American education. -
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) passed in 1965 initiated the role of federal government in protecting and providing for students from disadvantaged backgrounds so that they would have equal access to the public education system. President Lyndon B Johnson signed the ESEA into act on January 12th, 1965. A critical component of the ESEA for individuals with disabilities was the grant program that encouraged states to create and improve programs for students with disabilities. -
In 1970, a revision of the special education program of the ESEA, P.L 91-230, continued support for state-run programs for individuals with disabilities. It was the first freestanding special education law. The EHA mandated students with disabilities be educated, and required that students with disabilities should receive special education and related services.
https://sites.ed.gov/idea/IDEA-History#:~:text=On%20November%2029%2C%201975%2C%20President,and%20locality%20across%20the%20country. -
In 1972, a case was brought to the courts of the District of Columbia where handicapped children had been excluded from public schools. 7 children with various disabilities had been grouped together in a classroom and considered to be a "class", this was counted as segregation in the eyes of the court. Mills v. Board ruled to mandate the publicly supported education to students with disabilities. -
Prior to the revolutionary Mills V. Board case, section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, forbade organizations and employers from excluding or denying individuals with disabilities an equal opportunity to receive program benefits and services. It defined the rights of individuals with disabilities to participate in, and have access to, program benefits and services. This meant that all students with disabilities could not be discriminated against within federal funded programs. -
P.L 94-142 (1975) Although educational legislation had made significant progress in recognition of students with special needs since the 1950s, it wasn't until 1975, that schools were required to ensure that all children, regardless of disability, receive a free and appropriate public education. The EAHCA demanded federal funding to teach eligible students with disabilities. Under this act, students had the right to a FAPE in a least restrictive environment. -
The Education for all Handicapped Children's Act later became the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in 1990. With its name change came a few modifications such as the inclusion of autism and traumatic brain injury into the IDEA. This is when modifications to any legislation went from "disability first" language to "people first" language"
https://youtu.be/3XMndYNEGFA?si=G5g-o4JqYgmXjFxH -
The idea of "no child left behind" had been in place since the passing of ESSS in 1965, but in 2002, It became an official act and major point in special education reform. President George W Bush signed this act that ensured that special education teachers are meeting the requirements of their students individually and are thoroughly trained in special education. In turn, this also meant that special education teachers must ensure, through training, that students met state testing requirements. -
ABA, or Applied Behavior Analysis is a type of therapy that helps children with autism or other disorders learn skills and lessen problematic behavior. Although there is a plethora of ways to mainstream special education into a least restrictive environment, bringing in a behavioral therapist into a general classroom to help aide the special needs student is a way to promote a least restrictive environment for a special needs child.
https://youtu.be/gRkbUIO_hLM?si=vTIU0zzVzWo7xgBr