-
The United States Supreme Court passed down their decision that the "separate but equal" justification of segregation in classrooms was not sound. As a result, classrooms, which were usually separated by race, were mandated to be desegregated. This decision of the court raised questions on the constitutionality and justifiability of separating or "segregating" students with disabilities from their counterparts in general education classes. -
The passing of this act marked the passing of the "first federal law to directly address the education of students with disabilities" (Friend, 10). The act provided funding to states in order to assist them in implementing and improving previously established programs to educate students with disabilities. -
This court case, taken to court after a student whose native language was Spanish was labeled as having an intellectual disability after failing a test in English, resulted in the requirement of the Board of Education that intelligence test were to be administered in the child's native language. This decision formed the basis of the nondiscriminatory evaluation principle outlined in IDEA legislation. -
Section 504 of this act, specifically, is the first piece of civil rights legislations in the U.S. affecting people with disabilities. This section protects all Americans with disabilities from discrimination in programs receiving federal funding, including public schools. -
The passing of this act marked the development of the first set of amendments to the 1974 "Education for All Handicapped Children Act", which is now "considered the basis for all subsequent special education practice" (Friend, 10). Requirements of states laid out by the passing of this act included the requirement of states to actively seek out disabled children who were not attending school and to follow laws outlined in the act in order to receive federal funding. -
This act, which largely replaced section 504, ensures that people with disabilities are accommodating, including the requirement of public buildings to have modifications such as ramps and elevators. The act also outlaws workplace discrimination on the basis of disability status. -
This reauthorization of the 1975 Education of the Handicapped Act resulted in a change of its name, and included provisions for preparing student with disabilities for life after school, including exploring postsecondary education or vocational possibilities. -
This act passed under the authority of President Bush, called for the increased accountability of all educators to see that all of their students, including those with disabilities, achieved at a certain academic level, taught by "highly qualified teachers". -
The most recent reauthorization of this act holds requirements that must be upheld in school settings today. The most important of these additions being the increase of power given to families of students with disabilities, clarifying the dispute resolution process between parents and special educators. -
Passed under the authority of President Obama, this law changed mandated federal language usage from "mental retardation" to "intellectual disability".