Timeline of History of Special Education in the U.S.

By nroberts0410

  • American Asylum for the Education of the Deaf and Dumb

    1817 – Rev. Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet becomes principal of the American Asylum for the Education of the Deaf and Dumb, the first residential school in the U.S.

  • Massachusetts School for Idiotic and Feeble Minded Children

    1848 - Samuel Gridley Howe establishes the Massachusetts School for Idiotic and Feeble Minded Children

  • First Public school class for children with hearing impairments

    1869 - First public school class for children with hearing impairments open in Boston

  • First Professional Association

    1876 – Edouard Seguin helps to organize the first professional association concerned with disabilities (mental retardation), predecessor to today’ American Association on Mental Retardation

  • National Education Association establishes a section for teachers of children with disabilities

    1897 – National Education Association establishes a section for teachers of children with disabilities

  • Elizabeth Farrel

    1898 – Elizabeth Farrel, later to become the first president of the Council for Exceptional Children,
    begins a program for “backwards” or “slow learning” children in New York City

  • Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)

    1922 – Organization that later would become the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) is founded in New
    York City

  • First Compulsory Law

    1936 – First Compulsory law for testing the hearing of school-age children is enacted in New York

  • Association for Retarded Children (ARC)

    1950 – Association for Retarded Children (ARC) is founded (known today as the Association for Retarded
    Citizens, or simply the Arc)

  • Association for Children with Learning Disabilities

    1963 – Association for Children with Learning Disabilities (forerunner to Learning Disabilities Association of
    America) is organized

  • Public Law 93-112

    1973 – Public Law 93-112, the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973, is enacted; Section 504 prohibits
    discrimination against individuals with disabilities

  • Education for All Handicapped Children Act (PL 94-142)

    1975 – Education for All Handicapped Children Act (PL 94-142) is passed; landmark legislation ensures,
    among other provisions, a free and appropriate public education for all children with disabilities

  • Education of the Handicapped Act Amendments of 1986 (PL 99-457)

    1986 – Education of the Handicapped Act Amendments of 1986 (PL 99-457) is enacted; mandates a special
    education for pre-schoolers with disabilities and incentives for providing early intervention services to infants
    and toddlers

  • Americans with DIsabilities Act (PL 101-336)

    1990 – Americans with DIsabilities Act (PL 101-336) becomes law; prohibits discrimination on the basis of
    disability

  • Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (PL 105-117)

    1997 – Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (PL 105-117) is reautho

  • No Child Left Behind

    All students including those with disabilities should be proficient in math and reading by the year 2014.No

  • American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

    Signed by President Barack Obama, this campaign promises "funding the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act" and 12.2 billion dollars in additional funds

  • IDEA Reauthorized

    Students with diabilities are now required to be included on state and district-wide assesments.
    Regular Education Teachers are to be included on the IEP team