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1899
Elizabeth Ferrell was the first noted teacher to teach a classroom of special education students, which took place in New York City.
Reference:
http://www.acsu.buffalo.edu/~duchan/new_history/hist19c/subpages/farrell.html -
Establishment of The Council For Exceptional Children
In 1922, 12 members including Elizabeth Ferrell, started the Council For Exceptional Children to be the voice for children with disabilities. The mission of the council is to help those students with disabilities succeed.
Reference:
cec.sped.org -
Brown vs. Board of Education
In this case, it was found that the segregation of public schools violated the 14th amendment. The case overturned the the "separate but equal" principle that was adopted in 1896 in the Plessy vs Ferguson case.
Reference :
https://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=false&doc=87 -
The Elementary & Secondary Education Act
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act became a law in 1965 by President Lyndon Baines Johnson. Johnson believed that our first national goal should be providing full educational opportunity to all students. Under this act, grants were offered to school districts that served low-income students to purchase things such as textbooks, library books, funding for special programs and scholarships for low-income college students.
Reference:
https://www.ed.gov/essa?src=ft -
Section 504 of The Rehabilitation Act
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act prohibits the discrimination of an individual based upon disability. Under this section, it is required that the needs of students with disabilities be met just as the needs of the non disabled students are met.
Reference:
https://www.greatschools.org/gk/articles/section-504-2/ -
Education For All Handicap Children Act
Congress established the Education for All Handicapped Children Act to help states support and protect the rights, meet the individual needs and improve results of those children with disabilitiesand their families.
Reference:
https://www2.ed.gov/policy/speced/leg/idea/history.html -
Mainstreaming
Mainstreaming refers to integrating students with disabilities into regular classroom. It was once frowned upon but now seen as having successful benefits. -
Americans With Disability Act
This act was passed as the nation's first comprehensive civil rights law that addressed the needs of those individuals with disabilities. The act prohibited discrimination in employment, public services public accommodations, and telecommunications.
Reference:
https://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/history/35th/1990s/ada.html -
No Child Left Behind
The No Child Left Behind Act amended the Elementary and Secondary Act which granted all students the right to the same education regardless of race, socioeconomic status, or disability. -
Rosa's Law
President Obama signed a law that changed the terminology from mental retardation to intellectual disability.
https://www.azed.gov/finance/2013/05/29/rosas-law-intellectual-disability-terminology-changes/