History of Special Education and Inclusive Education Timetoast Timeline

By yyei

  • American School for the Deaf

    The American School for the Deaf was the first school for deaf students to be established in the USA in 1817. It continues to operate today, and is one of the most well-known deaf education institutions in the world. This was a crucial milestone in the way society related to people with disabilities.

  • National Association for Retarded Children

    In 1950, the National Association for Retarded Children was organized by parent groups around the US in Minneapolis. This was the first organization to support research on intellectual and developmental disabilities financially. The Arc fights every day to protect civil rights and access to vital programs, such as Medicaid, for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). https://thearc.org/about-us/history/

  • Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka

    In 1954, the Supreme Court ruled that separating children in public schools on the basis of race was unconstitutional. It signaled the end of legalized racial segregation in the schools of the United States, overruling the "separate but equal" principle set forth in the 1896 Plessy v. Ferguson case.The ruling meant that it was illegal to segregate schools and schools had to integrate.

  • The Elementary & Secondary Education Act

    This landmark legislation specifically authorized the federal government to equalize educational opportunities of all children by directing federal education dollars to the most disadvantaged children living in poverty. One of the most significant consequences of ESEA was the centralization of education policymaking from the local level to the state and federal levels. From 1965 to 1975, federal funds for elementary and secondary education more than doubled.

  • Section 504

    A 504 plan is a way for schools to provide support for students with a disability so that they can learn in a regular classroom. The name 504 plan comes from Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. This is the first federal civil rights law specifically aimed to protecting the rights of individuals with disabilities.

  • Education for all Handicapped Children Act

    The Education for All Handicapped Children Act was enacted by the United States Congress in 1975. This act required all public schools accepting federal funds to provide equal access to education and one free meal a day for children with physical and mental disabilities.Students with disabilities must be educated with children without disabilities to the maximum extent appropriate.

  • Handicapped Children’s Protection Act Passed

    The Education for All Handicapped Children Act, enacted in 1975, required that: all students with disabilities be brought into mainstream schools. parents of children with disabilities provide home-schooling for their children. Schools are required to evaluate a child's special needs, develop an individualized education program for the child, involve the child's parents, and educate the handicapped child along with non-handicapped children as much as possible.

  • Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

    Mandates that a free appropriate public education be available to all students with disabilities, ages three to twenty-one. Amended in 1986 to require services for infants and toddlers, ages birth to three. Establishes procedural protections to safeguard parent/guardian rights.

  • No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB)

    NCLB requires states to establish student academic standards as well as an assessment system to ensure that all students are meeting the academic standards. The assessment system must be statewide, and its purpose is to establish an accountability system.The goal of NCLB was to provide more education opportunities for students. https://youtu.be/0--2nhsDorg?si=SkyzOmIJv8Qn2qiz

  • Assistive Technology Act

    This Act seeks to provide AT to persons with disabilities, so they can more fully participate in education, employment, and daily activities on a level playing field with other members of their communities. The U.S. Congress passed the 21st Century Assistive Technology Act (AT Act) with bipartisan support. The new law took effect in June 2023 and supports individuals with disabilities in learning about and getting access to assistive technology devices and services.