-
Thomas Gallaudet and Laurent Clerc founded the first ever school for death students in the U.S. It was founded in Hartford, Connecticut and called the American School for the Deaf. It provided special education for those in need and paved the way for future schools for students with disabilities. -
Samuel Gridley Howe founded and opened the Perkins School for the Blind in Boston, Massachusetts. This was the first official school for blind students. The main focus of this school was literacy, independence and hands-on-learning. -
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act was the first U.S. law protecting people with disabilities. This was enacted for individuals with disabilities in programs that received funding from the federal government. Schools were also encouraged to protect those with disabilities as this allowed a fair education.
https://www.ed.gov/laws-and-policy/civil-rights-laws/disability-discrimination/frequently-asked-questions-section-504-free-appropriate-public-education-fape -
The Education for All Handicapped Children Act was extremely important ensuring that all children with disabilities receive Free Appropriate Public Education. This in turn required Individualized Education Programs to ensure the correct and successful services to help students succeed in their education. This law was the foundation for what we now know as special education. -
The Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) emphasized on inclusion and the correct usage of services. Students with disabilities were no longer separated, instead the were allowed to learn in a more general settings alongside their peers. Transition services were also set in place to create transition plans for students beginning the age of 16, focusing more on life after high school.
(Less Restrictive Environments) -
The Education for All Handicapped Children Act was renamed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act in 1990. This was done to allow the focus to be placed on the individual themselves and not their condition. More disabilities were added and fell beneath the protection of this renamed act. -
The IDEA made some major changes to the federal law for special education. It focused on better results, more inclusion and clearer rules that allowed for more discipline. It focused on Least Restrictive Environment (LRE), boosting students with disabilities into normal classroom settings when possible.
(Less Restrictive Environments/ Mainstreaming) -
The Assistive Technology Act raises awareness, access and the usage of assistive technology for people with disabilities of all ages. This allowed said individuals to participate in a proper education, employment, and everyday tasks. In this case assistive technology can be any piece of equipment or system used to maintain or improve the capacities that a person with a disability can have. -
Amendments made to the IDEA added more accountability measures by focusing less on base level compliance to actual results that showed successful integration. This highlighted access to general education curriculums for students with disabilities. Increase demands on districts ensured that students with disabilities access general curriculums and improved their academic outcome. -
In 2015 the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act IDEA celebrated their 40th anniversary. When it was first created, this law highlighted progress and focused on future challenges like transitioning to secondary education and careers. Discussions included high expectations, IEP goals and increased inclusion for those with disabilities.
https://youtu.be/VEuCdzoAnME?si=kkGOvF-fBR1ApjzY