-
First School for Disabled Students
The American School for the Deaf is the oldest school for students with disabilities to exist in America. The school focused on teaching individuals who were deaf and "Dumb", which at the time referred to those who could not speak. This institution was established in Hartford, Connecticut on April 15th, 1817. -
Colombia Institution
Gallaudet University, which was referred to as the Colombia Institute at the time, was a school for the deaf and blind. The importance of this school in the context of the history of special education inclusion is mainly due to the fact that this institution was the first allowed to give college degrees to students with disabilities. Congress approved this bill, and was later signed into law by President Abraham Lincoln. -
Council for Exceptional Children
In 1922, the Council for Exceptional Children was established. This organization was the first group of its kind that focused on advocating to further the rights for students with disabilities. This organization is still relevant to this day, standing as one of the largest groups of advocacy for individuals affected with any form of disability. This attached link is their current website: (https://exceptionalchildren.org/) -
Elementary and Secondary Education Act
The Elementary and Secondary Act was a law signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965. This law allowed grants to be distributed to lower income schools. Although this law doesn't directly or specifically address special education students, this was a step towards a better future for disabled students as these grants allowed certain schools to provide better programs for disabled students. -
Section 504
In the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, section 504 of this bill introduced protection of disabled students from any sort of discrimination. This is one of the most important events in the history of special education because this was one of the first laws directly pushing for a better future for the disabled, as well as equal rights for these students. Not only did this section of the act call for protection from discrimination, it also broadened the list on what was considered to be disabled. -
Least Restrictive Environment
In 1975, the Least Restrictive Environment law was passed to ensure that special education students can receive as much placement in regular classrooms as possible. This law was passed to ensure inclusivity of children with disabilities, as well as a way for these students to develop their social skills. This law lays down the foundation for inclusivity in the context of the history of special education students. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUtR75sMBOc&ab_channel=TeachingsinEducation -
Americans with Disabilities Act
In 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed a law explicitly prohibiting the discrimination of individuals with disabilities. This law is extremely important because it required certain places to require accommodations to those with disabilities. This was a landmark law passed for those individuals affected with disabilities. -
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
A few months after the Americans with Disabilities Act was signed in 1990, President George H.W. Bush also signed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which made sure that students with disabilities had access to Free Appropriate Public Education, (FAPE). This meant that students with disabilities had access to the same education that regular students had access to. -
No Child Left Behind
The No Child Left Behind act was passed by U.S. Congress in 2001. This law was one of the most important acts passed in the past 20 years because it called for reform on the standards schools held for assessments and other aspects of the classroom. It focused on a more individualized approach, making sure that each individual student is receiving all they need to succeed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0--2nhsDorg&ab_channel=TeachingsinEducation -
Assistive Technology Act
In 2004, a law passed stating that schools must provide assistive technology to those individuals with disabilities. This act incorporates inclusivity by making sure each individual person with disabilities gets whatever they need to ensure their right to an education. This also provides them with whatever they need in other places outside of education, such as workplaces and so on.