The History of Special Education

By kerstinrivera

  • The American School for the Deaf

    The American School for the Deaf was established in 1817 in Hartford Connecticut by Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet. This school welcomes deaf and hard of hearing students from birth to adulthood with a variety of programs and services. Gallaudet met Laurent Clerc who helped found the American School of the Death and helped create American Sign Language. American School for the Deaf

  • Perkins School for the Blind

    Perkins School for the Blind was founded in 1829 in Watertown Massachusetts. Perkins manufactures their own Perkins Brailler which is a Braille typewriter used to print embossed, tactile books for the blind. This school prepares children and young adults who are blind, deaf blind, or visually impaired, including those who have additional disabilities with education, confidence and skills necessary to survive and persevere in the world.

  • Council for Exceptional Children

    The Council for Exceptional Children was established in 1922. The CEC was created by a group of students whose goals were to unite anyone who was interested in educational issues of "special children", to emphasize the education of social children, and to establish professional standards for teacher in the field of special education. Their mission is to improved educational outcomes of individuals with exceptionalities.

  • Brown Vs. Board of Education

    The Brown Vs. Board of Education ruling laid the foundation for Individuals with Disabilities Act. The Supreme Court ruled that separating children in public schools on the basis of race was unconstitutional. This Supreme Court case ended legalized racial segregation go the schools.

  • PARC VS Commonwealth of PA

    In 1971, Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Children (PARC) v. Commonwealth of Pennsylvania was the first lawsuit to overturn Pennsylvania law and secure a quality education for all children. The case was quickly settled resulting in an agreement to provide free public education for children with mental retardation. This lawsuit created the basis for the Education for All Handicapped Children Act that was enacted in 1975.

  • Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act

    Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act protects qualified individuals with disabilities. An individual with disabilities is identified as a person with physical or mental impairment which substantially limits one or more major life activities. Section 504 forbids organizations and employers from excluding or denying individuals with disabilities an equal opportunity to receive program benefits and services.This law includes FAPE and LRE.

  • Public Law 94-142/EAHCA

    The Education for All Handicapped Children Act was established in 1975. This law guaranteed a free, appropriate public education to each child with a disability in every state across the country. Public schools were required to evaluate students with disabilities and create an educational plan that would be match the educational experience of non-disabled students.

  • Handicapped Children’s Protection Act

    The Handicapped Children’s Protection Act (HCPA) act adds a clause to the EAHCA concerning legal costs for individuals who pursue a lawsuit against based on the EAHCA. Both acts stipulate that schools allow parents of children with disabilities to participate in the creation and the implementation of their Childs IEP. Both acts also dictate that if parents deem their Childs IEP unsuitable, they have the right to a hearing run by the State Education Department.

  • Americans with Disabilities Act

    The Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in several areas such as employment, public accommodations, communications and access to state and local government programs and services. This act guarantees that people with disabilities have the same opportunities as everyone else to participate in the mainstream of American life.

  • No Child Left Behind Act

    The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) holds schools accountable for how kids learn and achieve academic goals. Schools did this through annual testing, reporting, improvement targets and penalties for schools. The goal of NCLB was to provide more education for students in four key groups: Students in poverty, Students of color, Students receiving special education services and those who speak and understand limited or no English. YouTube