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Perkins School for the Blind
Founded in Massachusetts in 1829 by John Dix Fisher, the Perkins School for the Blind is the oldest and first school for the Blind in America. This school has taught many successful students, but notable among them is Anne Sullivan, Laura Bridgman, and Helen Keller. Perkins stands upon its core values: that each child can learn, that accessibility and inclusion are human rights, and that real change is global change. https://www.perkins.org/ -
Council for Exceptional Children
The Council for Exceptional Children, founded in 1922 by Elizabeth E. Farrell, is an organization dedicated to the success of children and youth with disabilities by advocating for their rights and by providing teachers with professional developmental training through webinars, online learning, and in-person training. Their core values are visionary thinking, integrity, and inclusiveness. Today, they have local units in all 50 states, as well as Canada. https://exceptionalchildren.org/ -
Special Olympics
Founded in 1962 by Eunice Kennedy Shriver, Special Olympics is a sports organization for people with intellectual and physical disabilities. What started out as a summer camp for children with intellectual disabilities has become a year-long athletic competition that promotes physical fitness, courage, joy, and fulfillment. At the heart of Special Olympics is the mission to “instill confidence, improve health, and inspire a sense of competition.” https://www.specialolympics.org/ -
PA Assoc. of Retarded Children v. Commonwealth of PA
In 1971, the Pennsylvania Association of Retarded Children (PARC) took the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to court for denying 14 children access to a public education due to their mental disabilities. The plaintiffs argued that this violated both the Equal Protection clause and the Due Process Clause of the 14th Amendment. The court ruled that anyone up to age 21 can have a public education, regardless of what their learning capacities are. https://disabilityjustice.org/right-to-education/ -
504 plans
504 plans, outlined in the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, are similar to IEP plans in that they are educational accommodations and modifications for students with disabilities. A 504 plan enables students to learn alongside their classmates by providing services and changes to the classroom environment. An example of a 504 accommodation might be extra time or large print on tests. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aL8Vpuntm4 -
FERPA
Enacted in 1974, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) protects the privacy of student educational records. Schools cannot divulge private information about student educational records without the consent of the parent/guardian/eligible student. Under this act, parent/guardian/eligible students are able to request that schools edit information in a student’s file that they believe is incorrect or misleading. https://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html -
Individualized Education Plan (IEP)
Brought about in 1975 through the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EAHCA), Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) are specialized plans detailing the specific, unique needs and requirements for students with disabilities. The IEP lists not only the goals and objectives of the student’s education, but it also describes what sort of accommodations they will receive. The IEP also includes transitionary services for students by the age of 16. https://www.parentcenterhub.org/iep-overview/ -
Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA)
Originally enacted in 1975 as the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EAHCA), then revised in 1990 and 1997, the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) set out to improve opportunities for individuals with disabilities. Not only does this Act define the Least Restrictive Environment, but it also established new special needs categories and expanded special education services and provisions for due process and confidentiality. IDEA also requires transition services and planning. -
No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB)
The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 provided a framework for schools on how to improve their performance. The act was highly effective in many ways. For instance, it increased schools’ accountability standards, it provided families with school choice, and it gave increased flexibility to states, school districts, and schools. An influential aspect of NCLB is the required statewide assessments that all students must partake in. -
Response-To-Intervention (RTI)
Enacted in 2004 through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA), Response-To-Intervention (RTI) is the process of applying intensive research-based interventions as students need them. There are three tiers of RTI: Tier 1 Universal, Tier 2 Targeted, Tier 3 Intensive. It is used to determine the presence of a learning disability, but all students may progress up the tiers. https://www.specialeducationguide.com/pre-k-12/response-to-intervention/