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Jan 1, 1552
First Recognition of Intellectual Disabilities
The first recognition of intellectual disabilities was during the Ancient Greek and Roman Era. They felt that people with intellectual disabilities were a punishment from God and should be killed. Otherwise someone had to watch this child at all times.Usually only the wealthy were able to have this privalege. -
Period: Aug 29, 1552 to
History of Intellectual Disabilities
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First Program of Intervention
The first documented program of intervention took place in France. -
Rehabilitating, Training, and Reintegrating
Throughout the 1800's many people were placed in asylums, poorhouses, country homes, and almshouses. -
First Training faculity
A wing of the Perkins Institution for the Blind in Boston was created to train people about intellectual disabilities and how to treat them. This same year there was also the first private institution. -
First Published Reference Book
The first book was published about Intellectual Disabilties and was tited, Idiocy and its Treatments in Physiological Methods. -
Education for All
New Jersey is the first state to mandate that education be provided for all children. This includes children with disabilties. -
The ideas of the feebleminded
During the late 1800's and eary 1900's many books were published about Intellectual Disabiities. One was published which was titled, The Kallikak Family: A Study in the Heredity of Feeble-Mindedness. This then started a movement that people with intellectual disabilities should not be medicated because it was ruining the idea of natural selection which was making the cost of living increase. -
The Vocational Rehabilitation Act
The Vocational Rehabilitation Act was created in 1920 which protected the rights of anyone with disabilities. -
Psychological Testing
In the early 1930's and 1940's testing became popular especially in schools. Two tests that were often used were the Vineland Social Maturity Scale and Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children. -
Sterilization
By 1944, 30 states had sterilization laws and many were put into action. The government wanted to keep men and women with intellectual disabilties apart so they would not be able to reproduce. -
National Association of Parents and Friends of Mentally Retarded Children
National Association of Parents and Friends of Mentally Retarded Children was created which today is known as ARC. This program provides resources and services to families with disabilities. -
President Kennedy
President Kennedy created the President's Panel on Mental Retardation which is now the President's Committee on Intellectual Disabilities.This focuses on creating services, education and prevention for disabilities. -
Reauthorization of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act
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Education for All Handicapped Children Act
In 1975, the Education for Al Handicaped Children Act was passed which made it into law that free public education for all children. This mae sure that even children with intellectual disabilties recieved an education. -
Change in Intellectual Disabilities
In the 1980's and 1990's the deifintion of Intellectual Disabilities had changed which has resulted in a decrease in the amount of cases. There has also been an increase in early intervention, community-based rehabilitation, definition and diagnosis, human rights, and legislation.
