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In 1817 the American School for the Deaf was founded and opened by Laurent clerk and Thomas Hopkins in the city of Hartford in Connecticut. This created a small ripple effect for representation of disabilities since children regardless of their impediments were given proper instruction and became more integrated into the community. -
Elizabeth Ferrell was impactful in Special education since she is responsible for establishing the first self-contained classroom for disabled students in the public school system. She created a space for students in New York to learn and be part of the classroom regardless of the disability as early as 1899. This was a small impact in history since it lead to debates of special education and foreshadowed many laws and acts passed in the future. -
When a group of twelve educators led by Elizabeth Farrell which is considered the mother of special education, conjoined they accomplished the foundation of the Council for Exceptional Students. This group was for educators that specialized in special education to learn from each other since there were little to no resources or knowledge into this sector of teaching. In its beginning's, it strived for research and training but with time it rippled into law making and advocation. -
Founded in 1950, the Arc, started off with the name of National Association for Retarded Children followed by three more changes. Parents of children with disabilities came together to advocate for their children and create a community for their children to have more normal lives. This organization has allowed for research opportunities, funding programs, healthcare opportunities and service -
Plessy v. Ferguson was the precedent to this case in which it was settled that schools could be separate but equal. Then after this case it was settled that it was indeed unconstitutional to have racial discrimination in schools. This created many opportunities for the bettering of education for discriminated peoples, civil rights and disability rights movements in the future. -
The ESEA or the Elementary and Secondary Education Act was passed during Lyndon B. Johnson's - a former teacher - presidency in 1965. This law precedented many changes in school funding and overall equality and equity in educational systems. The act targeted poor schools and providing them allocated tax dollars and schools were forced to abide by these conditions or they would not be funded. -
Section 504 is a portion of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 in which it is deemed illegal for any mistreatment of people with diagnosed disabilities in any federally funded programs or activity. This essentially meant that in any hospitals, schools and colleges it was illegally to exclude and mistreat them. Later this was changed for disabilities being properly assisted with individualized plans. -
In 1975 after many unjust action toward children with disabilities in public and private school sectors, the Education for all handicapped Children Act (EHA) was passed to ensure disabled students received free and adequate education. These disabilities reached from physical, mental, behavioral and learning conditions that affected learning in any way. This law ensured that students were not mistreated in schools and were properly allocated to learn. -
In 1990, president Bush signed off on this act that ensured equal rights and treatment for people with disabilities in all scenarios. This reached from public areas to the workplace and school whether it be public ramps or extra time at school. Overall disabilities are accounted for whether it be physical, emotional or behavioral. -
Another law signed by president Bush that ensured all students were given a chance to progress and flourish in the education whether having differences in background. It set impacts in standardized testing, academic goals for disabled students, and reading and math levels at a standard level.