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

Important Years

Period: Jan 1, 1800 to Jun 1, 2011

American Asylum for the Education of the Deaf and Dumb

Apr 15, 1817

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.

New England Asylum for the Blind

Jan 3, 1831

Samuel Gridley Howe establishes the New England Asylum for the Blind

Braille Code

Jul 27, 1834

In 1834, Louis Braille publishes the Braille code

First Teacher Training Program

Jul 1, 1839

In 1839, the first teacher training program opens in Massachusetts

Massachusettes School for Idiotic and Feeble Minded Children

Jul 28, 1848

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

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

Jul 28, 1869

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

First Professional Association

Jul 28, 1876

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

Jul 28, 1897

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

Elizabeth Farrel

Jul 28, 1898

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

Training Programs

Jul 28, 1904

1904 – The Vineland Training School in New Jersey inaugurates training programs for teachers of students with mental retardation

Standford-Binet Scale of Intelligence

Jul 28, 1916

1916 – Louis Terman publishes the Standford-Binet Scale of Intelligence

Training program for Gifted

Jul 28, 1920

1920 – Teachers College, Columbia University, begins training program for teachers of pupils who are gifted

Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)

Jul 28, 1922

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

Seeing Eye Dogs

Jul 28, 1928

1928 – Seeing Eye dogs for the blind are introduced in the United States

First Compulsory Law

Jul 28, 1936

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

United Cerebral Palsy (UCP)

Jul 28, 1949

1949 – United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) association is founded

Association for Retarded Children (ARC)

Jul 28, 1950

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

National Association for Gifted

Jul 28, 1953

1953 – National Association for Gifted is founded

Association for Children with Learning Disabilities

Jul 28, 1963

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

Wolf Wolfensberger

Jul 28, 1972

1972 – Wolf Wolfensberger introduces the concept of normalization, initially coined by Begt Nirge of Sweden, to the United States

Public Law 93-112

Jul 28, 1973

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)

Jul 28, 1975

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 for All Handicapped Children Act (PL 94-142)

Jul 28, 1975

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)

Jul 28, 1986

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 DIsabilites Act (PL 101-336)

Jul 28, 1990

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

PL 10-476

Jul 28, 1990

1990 – PL 10-476, the Individials with Disabilities Education Act (commonly known as IDEA) is passed; among other provisions, emphasizes transition planning for adolescents with disabilities

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (PL 105-117)

Jul 28, 1997

1997 – Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (PL 105-117) is reauthorized, providing a major retooling and expansion of services for students with disabilities and their families

No Child Left Behind

Jul 9, 2007

All students including those with disabilities should be proficient in math and reading by the year 2014.

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

Feb 17, 2009

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

Jan 1, 2011

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.

Years Observed

Period: Jul 28, 2011 to Jul 28, 2015