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American Asylum for the Education of the Deaf and Dumb
1817- On April 15th 1817, the first American school for the deaf opened in Hartford Connecticut. The earliest known school for students with disabilities was stablished. Thomas Hopkins Gallaudet after returning from France, where he was newly trained in the French method of manual communication for the deaf was the founded of the American Asylum for the Education of the Deaf and Dumb (now the American School for the Deaf) here in the United States. -
Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)
In 1922 Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) was created by a group of students who were attending a meeting to discuss ways to help students with disabilities. This is a non-profit association and its mission is to support special education professionals and others working on behalf of individuals with exceptionalities. They help professionals achieve the conditions and resources necessary for effective professional practice and by advocate for individuals with exceptionalities. -
Autism is Introduced
In May 16, 1943, Autism was introduced by Dr. Leo Kanner at John Hopkins. Kanner described Donald and ten other children in a 1943 paper entitled, Autistic Disturbances of Affective Contact. He said that the children were highly intelligent but displayed “a powerful desire for aloneness” and “an obsessive insistence on persistent sameness.” He later named this condition “early infantile autism.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O0vCz2KWMM0 -
Brown vs. Board of Education
One of the most influential law that happened in the history of special education. During the year of 1954 segregation between black and white students was very popular. Declaration of Independence clearly states that “All mean are created equal”; although it is stated segregation was happening. Mr. Brown sued the state of Kansas because his daughter was not able to attend a school because of the color of her skin. With the victory of his case many other cases opened up in other states. -
The Elementary and Secondary Education Amendments of 1966
(P.L. 89-750) This law amended the Title VI of P.L. 89-10 and stablished the first federal grant program for the education of children and youth with disabilities at the local school level, rather than at state operated schools or institutions. It stablished the Bureau of Education of the Handicapped (BEH) and the National Advisory Council (now called the National Council on Disability) -
Section 504
The (Vocational) Rehabilitation Act (Section 504) states that any recipient of federal financial assistance including state and local educational agencies must end discrimination in the offering of its services to persons with disabilities. Section 504 does not require a public school to provide an IEP to meet the child's unique needs and provide the child with educational benefits. -
The Community Service Act
This act stipulated that 10% of children enrolled in the Head Start program must be children with disabilities. The Head Start program provides comprehensive education, health, nutrition, and parent involvement services to low-income children and their families. -
The Education for All Handicapped Children Act
This act, created by President Gerald Ford, was designed to mandate a free appropriate public education for all children with disabilities in a state, regardless of the nature or severe of the child’s disability. It also mandates that all handicapped children in public school will receive one free meal. Part B of this law is now called IDEA. Now all students with disabilities must have an IEP, a free and appropriate public education, and be served in the least restricted environment. -
Handicapped Children Protection’s Act
President Reagan signed the Handicapped Children’s Protection Act, a law that gave parents of children with disabilities more saying in the development of their child’s Individual Education Plan (IEP). This law will provide procedural safeguards for parents of handicapped children. In addition, the safeguards ensures that the rights of handicapped children are protected.
www.civilrights.org/monitor/august1986/art5p1.html?print=t -
The American With Disabilities Act
The ADA is a wide-ranging civil rights law that prohibits, under certain circumstances, discrimination based on disability. In this law, disability is defined as, “a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity.” Now we see that rules and regulations for students with disabilities start to become more commonplace in school districts. -
IDEA 2004 Reenactment/Improving Act
Reenactment/Improvement Act
This reenactment of the IDEA defined the purpose of special education. It clarifies Congress intended outcome for each child with a disability. Students must be provided a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) that prepares them for further education, employment, and independent living. Special education and related services should be designed to meet the unique learning needs of eligible children with disabilities, preschool through age 21. -
No Child Left Behind Act of 2001
One of the main components of the modern day educational system. This act was signed into law in 2002. The act requires states to test students in reading and math in grades 3-8 and once in high school. It requires each state to establish state academic standards and state testing system that meet federal requirements. All students including students with disabilities, are to be proficient in math and reading by the year 2014.
