History of Special Education

  • Conception

    Special classes were in beginning stages as teachers begin to notice differences among students' learning patterns/behaviors.
  • Parents' Voices

    Brown v. Board of Education: Allowed for parents of students with disabilities to contend their students were not receiving adequate education.
  • Infancy

    Students with disabilities were segregated from students without disabilities. Some were educated in separate schools.
  • Elementary & Secondary Education Act

    This act extensively funded primary and secondary education. It emphasized equal access to education and established high standards and accountability. Furthermore, this act was amended in 1966 (Title VII) to include aid to disabled children.
  • Normalization

    Mild disabled students were integrated with students without disabilities. They were just visiting general classes and not being instructed. Policies were being implemented to normalize this practice.
  • Compulsory Attendance

    Exclusionary practices were upheld until this decade.
  • Handicapped Children Act

    This was enacted to support states and localities in protecting the rights of, meeting the individual needs of, and improving the results for Hector and other infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities and their families.
  • REI

    Regular Education Initiative: Still, students were not making adequate academic progress; Those who had moderate to severe needs were not being addressed; Accommodations were not being implemented in general education classes; Adequate collaboration was not being achieved.
  • Inclusion Movement

    This movement began despite controversy regarding full inclusion.
  • Reauthorization of IDEA

    These services were extended to infants, toddlers, and preschool children aged 3.
  • No Child Left Behind

    Responsible for holding all students to high standards; Students with mild disabilities must pass all state assessments like students without disabilities; It required students with mild disabilities to be instructed using the state standards since they are now taking the state assessments.
  • IDEA Ammendments

    1990/1992/1997 - More students are educated with non-disabled peers; More students with disabilities are employed; Most important law for individuals with disabilities in the school age years.