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American School of the Deaf
The first school catered to children with disabilities, the American School of the Deaf took pride in their efforts in providing for deaf children who strived for education. The government even helped these efforts by providing money to the founder, Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet, as he worked to make his school grow and not be limited to children who were deaf. This marked a beginning to a connection between education and people with disabilities, as parents now had some help in educating them. -
Brown V. Board
The Brown v. Board of Education was a court case that resulted in the argument for equal education for African American students. Students were being taught in separate classrooms and parents noticed African American students weren't getting nearly as much material as white students. The NAACP helped five different cases of unfair education towards black students which led to the eventual hearing in the Supreme Court. This gave a constitutional foundation to concerned parents worldwide. -
Training of Prof. Pers. Act
During a period where disabilities were frowned upon, an uprise caused for a push in the civil rights of people with disabilities. And so came the Training of Professional Persons Acts , an attempt to provide monetary assistance to the Department of Labor to help with the special education department. In hindsight, this in no way helped classrooms consisting of children with disabilities, but it served as a vital stepping stone to a needed push in education for these children. -
Teachers of the Deaf Act
The government's approval for the push of training facilities for teachers was essential in the need for teacher training. Teachers were now beginning to gain knowledge on how to educate children who were clinically deaf. There was finally an emphasis on helping these teachers deal with children who were deaf, and the Mental Retardation Facilities and Community Mental Health Centers Construction Act of 1963 that soon came after expanded this training to deal with all disabilities. -
PARC v. Commonwealth
The first disability related right-to-education court case in U.S history, PARC v. Commonwealth gave parents more reason to fight the judicial system on the legality of their children's education. The main argument of the court case being the right to more and free education to all children, not just children without intellectual disability. This case became monumental along with an additional case going on around the same time, Mills v Board of Education, as it granted accessible education. -
FAPE
Link
Congress's Education for All Handicapped Children's Act, FAPE, or Free Access to Public Education did exactly that, it granted public, free, accessible education for children with disabilities. A free meal and free education was promised to every child, whether mentally or physically disabled. Parents were also granted more access within the education, as they now had the right to open up disputes about their child's education. -
Wrightlaw's Law
An introduction to least restrictive environments and individualized education plans, Wrightlaw's Law may have been the most important sub article to ever exist. While FAPE granted free education, Wrightlaw's Law helped build a more personalized education for any student with a disability. Teachers were granted the option to assess students, and "mainstreaming" began to be more popularized, as children with disabilities had the opportunity to be in general education classrooms. -
Hudson v Rowley
With misinterpretations of the EHA, a school district refused to provide a sign language translator to a student which resulted in Board of Education of the Hendrick Hudson Central School District v. Rowley. The court ruling here was actually against the student, as it was ruled that students who were receiving an adequate amount of education were not required to be provided assistance from the school. This meant that Rowley was not required a translator. -
Americans with Disabilities Act
Media
In an effort to ensure equal rights and opportunities for people with disabilities, Bush signed the ADA. This cracked down on any discriminatory behavior in work and school settings, and gave comfort in children with disabilities. There was also a rise in mainstreaming, as a lot more parents were comfortable with their child in a general education setting. Employment was big here also, as students who graduated from school now had the opportunity to work. -
IDEA
A couple months after the ADA, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act helped push for that free education and helped personalize the education for any child, no matter what disability they may have. This also gave much needed attention to the special education department, as they still did not have the resources to deal with every child. The IDEA provided monetary assistance, formula grants, interventions, assesments, and so much more. Parents were now fully backed by the government. -
Present Time
Interview
Even with previous pushes for special education reform, there is still a lack of emphasis on the teachers who are under terrible working conditions and not enough assistance. Children in special education classrooms still aren't getting as much education as their parents want them to get, which results in yearly protests. Discriminatory behavior is still presents throughout, people with disabilities cannot find jobs, and a change has to happen.