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The first U.S. school for the blind
In 1832, Samuel Gridley Howe opened the first school in the U.S. for the blind in Massachusetts. In the Perkins School of the Blind students practiced the alphabet and reading using embossed letters developed by Howe himself and later Braille when it became more prevalent. Howe also began to accept deaf children at the school. He taught them the skill of lip reading over sign-language. https://www.nps.gov/articles/disabilityhistoryedreform.htm -
Brown v. Board of education
This was a court case in which it was decided that children could not be segregated based on their race. This case brought attention to the fact that many children were being excluded from a regular educational experience. One could argue that after this case many realized that all children deserve to be included and have a developmentally appropriate education regardless of their race or disability. -
McGlannan School in Miami
The McGlannan schools curriculum was developed by Frances McGlannan who specialized in the education of children with dyslexia, memory, and processing deficits. She used strategies for the deaf and blind to teach children with dyslexia and other language based learning disabilities The goal of the school is to help children with dyslexia and other language disabilities transition back into general education classrooms. https://www.mcglannanschool.com/about -
Vocational Rehabilitation act, 504 section (P.L. 93-112)
The 504 section from the vocational rehabilitation act provided children with the support they needed to be educated in a least restrictive environment. This was possible because the 504 section required schools to accommodate the classrooms and school building to fit the child’s needs. Such as, wheel chair ramps, preferential seating, interpreters, etc. This way children with disabilities could still participate in general education classrooms.
Video: https://youtu.be/pxx6rQqIjpY -
The Education for all Handicapped Children Act
This act was originally a revision of the Elementary and Secondary Act. This act was a grant program with the goal of enhancing the current special education programs that states had. They did so by obligating states to provide children with disabilities a free and befitting public education for children 5-18 years of age. This act also requires schools to provide an I.E.P. to children with special needs. -
Early Intervention Act for Infant &Toddlers
The Early Intervention Act for Infants and Toddlers with Disabilities was established as a part of the IDEA. The goal of this act was to provide services to children before they reach school age to minimize the amount of services they will need when they begin formal schooling. The idea was also to provide some relief to society on the taxes they pay to support special education services.
Video: https://youtu.be/VMCj9SCtEU0 -
Honig v. Doe
This court case that occurred California in 1988. This case began because a teenager with disabilities was being ridiculed by a classmate and responded by physically harming the classmate and damaging school property. The court sided with the child who was unable to control his response to the ridicule do to his disability. After this case, states were no longer allowed to kick children with disabilities out of school do to any of their actions related to their disability. -
Americans with Disability Act (P.L. 101-336)
The Americans disability act changed the way that adults and children with disabilities were spoken about by advocating for a “people-first” language. This act allowed for adults and children with disabilities to also receive assistive technology (hearing aids, assistive listening device,etc.) and rehabilitation services (occupational and physical therapy). Children with autism and traumatic brain injuries could now receive special education services. -
Cedar Rapids v. Garret F. Garret
This court case paved the way for children with special needs to receive the services they need at school without their parents having to pay any extra fees for those services. A four year old boy survived an accident that caused him to become quadriplegic. In order to receive a appropriate education he needed a nurse to tend to him while at school. The court sided with him and his parents and required a nurse to care for him at school without his parents having to pay anything extra. -
Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act
Children who were high functioning or on the cusp could now meet the criteria for a special education and services through the response-to-intervention model. The IDEIA was the first act to bring awareness to the least restrictive environment; children with special needs could have the educational that their typically developing peers have while still receiving the services they need.
Video: https://www.c-span.org/video/?184679-1/disabilities-education-improvement-bill-signing -
S.T.O.M.P.
The program STOMP supports military parents of children with disabilities by providing them with information, resources and workshops to keep them informed on the educational rights of their child(ren). STOMP provides military families with workshops through webinars about least restrictive environments, IEP’s and more that they can access anywhere in the U.S. and overseas.
Video: https://wapave.org/specialized-training-of-military-parents-stomp/