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Established in Hartford, Connecticut by minister Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet. The first American residential school for students who were deaf Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., the only liberal-arts college for students who are deaf, was named in his honor. -
Opened by Harvard medical graduate Samuel Gridley Howe in 1832. The first American residential school for students who were blind. Integrated methods observed in Europe between institutions focused on vocational skills and those focused on academics. While in the Massachusetts legislature, focused attention to inhumane conditions of mentally ill people in almshouses and jails. Organized a printing office and the first fund for printing for the blind in the US. -
In this case, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously that racial segregation in public schools violated the 14th Amendment, which grants equal protection of the laws to any person. The decision declared that separate educational facilities were inherently unequal. Although the decision strictly applied to public schools, it implied that segregation was not permissible in other public facilities. The decision helped inspire the civil rights movement of the late 1950s and ’60s. -
Banned discrimination based on "race, color, religion, sex or national origin" in employment practices and public accommodations. Foundation for future disability rights advocacy and legislation. -
Part of President Johnson's "War on Poverty", this act was one of the most far-reaching pieces of federal legislation affecting education ever passed. Title I is a program created by ESEA requiring the U.S. Department of Education to distribute funding to schools and school districts with a high percentage of students from low-income families. Additional provisions aimed to support at-risk students and provide support for bilingual education. -
Required affirmative action in employment by the federal government and by government contractors. Prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability in federal programs or those receiving federal funds. Extended authorization of grants under the previous Vocational Rehabilitation Act for vocational rehabilitation services for those with severe disabilities. Included Section 504, which mandated integration of people with disabilities into mainstream institutions. -
The EAHCA is the foundation of modern-day special education law in the U.S. It required public schools accepting federal funds to provide equal access to education for children with physical and mental disabilities. The act required that districts provide procedures for parents of disabled children to participate in educational decision making. Required that schools deliver education to students with disabilities in the “least restrictive environment” possible. -
Landmark public protest that remains the longest non-violent occupation of a U.S. federal building in history (about 26 days). Approximately 120 individuals with disabilities staged a planned protest at the San Francisco office of the federal Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW) to demand that the secretary of HEW sign and implement guidelines specific to Section 504. Ensuing regulations ushered in a new era of accessibility that led to the passage of the ADA. -
A civil rights law protecting the rights of individuals with mental and physical medical conditions. Prohibits discrimination based on disability in the areas of employment, usage of public transportation, usage and enjoyment of public accommodations, telecommunications. Requires reasonable accommodations in public spaces. -
Reauthorization of the EHA. Emphasized the needs of the individual over their condition. Requires the use of individual education plans, or IEPs, for all special education students. Provisions focus on preparing students for success in their adult lives. Requires that students with a disability are provided with a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE). -
In 2001 and 2004, NCLB (reauthorization of the ESEA act) required and provided for further accountability to schools to help schools acquire special education resources. Incentives reward schools showing progress for students with disabilities. However, was written so that scores of students with IEPs and 504 plans are counted just as other students' scores, sparking concerns. Also included Title I provisions applying to disadvantaged students. -
The ADA Amendments Act of 2008 overturned a controversial Supreme Court decision setting high standards for claimants in disability discrimination lawsuits. The act reiterates that Congress intends that the scope of the ADA be broad and inclusive. -
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit recently held in Williams v. Kincaid that individuals with gender dysphoria may be protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. “By declining to hear this case, the Supreme Court implicitly acknowledges the ADA protects people who experience gender dysphoria, including transgender and nonbinary people, from being discriminated against on that basis."