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Deaf and Dumb Asylum
The History of American School for the Deaf told through ASL, this video details the history of the now American School for the Deaf. It includes important information, such as how Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet founded the school. The video shares how the ASD changed over time, the inspiration behind its founding, and its first students. It shines light on the positive impact the ASD had on special education in the U.S. then and now. -
NYU SPED Training Program
In 1906, New York University included training programs for special education teachers as part of their courses. Elizabeth E. Farrell was a lecturer during this time. She went on to found the Council for Exceptional Children in 1922. With her and NYU's contribution, great strides were made in advancing special education for children with disabilities. -
NARC
The National Association for Retarded Children was founded in 1950 by parents and families of children with mental disabilities. NARC fought for and encouraged the inclusion of children with disabilities in schools and to have their needs met. NARC is now known as The Arc of the United States (The Arc). -
Brown v. Board
Brown v. Board of Education was a monumental Supreme court case that ruled racial segregation in schools unconstitutional. This ruling influenced parents and advocates to challenge laws and policies that prevented children with disabilities from attending public schools. Several court cases regarding special education and inclusion occurred after Brown v. Board. -
PARC v. Commonwealth
Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Citizens (PARC) v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania was the first right-to-education lawsuit in the United States. This case established Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). This education must be provided in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE). -
VRA (1973)
The Vocational Rehabilitation Act (VRA) of 1973 provided vocational rehabilitation services to people with disabilities. Section 504 of this act prohibited discrimination related to one's disability in federally funded programs. VRA provided opportunities and protection for people with disabilities. -
EAHCA
The Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EAHCA) or PL 94-142 was passed by Congress in 1975. The EAHCA required all schools receiving federal funding to provide free and appropriate education for students with disabilities. This act also required public schools with federal funding to create an Individualized Education Program (IEP) for every student with a disability. It defined Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) and enforced it within public schools for students with disabilities. -
REI
The Regular Education Initiative (REI) was proposed by Madeline Will to address the negative effects of "pull-out" programs for students. It aimed to return the responsibility for educating students with disabilities to neighborhood schools and regular teachers. REI sought out mainstreaming by encouraging the integration of students with disabilities into regular classrooms. -
IDEA (1990)
The Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) replaced EAHCA and added Autism and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) as two new disability categories. What is IDEA? A Guide for Educators and Parents is a website that details the history of IDEA. It includes information on several components and amendments. The website also explains essential parts of an IEP, safeguards for parents, and brief explanations of other federal disability laws. -
NCLB (2001)
The website What is No Child Left Behind (NCLB)? provides an in-depth explanation of how NCLB attempted to address low performance among disadvantaged students. It explains how the law increased schools' accountability for their students' achievement. The website points out how NCLB increased flexibility in use of federal funds, offered school choice options, and implemented early reading interventions.