Special Education Timeline

1817

School for Deaf Children

The American School for the Deaf opened in 1817. It paved the way for other schools to form that served students with disabilities. It shed light on these students that were often left out of education and "ignored."

1817

1857

Columbia Institution

The Columbia Institution for the Instruction of the Deaf and Dumb and the Blind served as a place for students with disabilities to learn primary education and moral training. It went on to open Gaullaudet University which is the only university today that is solely dedicated to the blind, deaf, and mute. The need for special services continued.

1857

1950

Parents Take Action!

Though parents had started working toward more rights and opportunities for their children with disabilities before 1950, it was by 1950 that there were 88 parental advocacy groups worldwide. This fight for their children's education led to many changes in the future. Their protests, sponsorships, and voices spread the awareness of special needs around the world.

1950

1972

Mills v. Board of Education

This ruling made it unlawful for the D.C. Board of Education to deny people with "exceptional" disabilities access to publicly funded education. This case helped bring the rights of children with disabilities in the spotlight. It also kept schools from denying education to these students because of the cost of their care and needs.

1972

1973

The Rehabilitation Act

Section 504 protects those with disabilities by prohibiting the discrimination against those with disabilities from attending programs that recieve federal funds. This was the first civil rights law in the United States for those with disabilities. Because of this act, people with disabilities gained more access to education and it laid a foundation for protecting those with special needs.

1973

1954

Brown v. Board of Education

Brown vs. Board of Education was a monumental moment for the civil rights movement. While the basis of this case was racial discrimination, it opened the door to discuss al kinds of discrimination in education. This victory encouraged the fight for students with special needs.

1954

1975

The Education for all Handicapped Children Act

This act was signed and put into effect by President Gerald Ford. "The Education for All Handicapped Children Act mandated that states receiving federal funds must provide equal access to education for children with disabilities, including one free meal per day" (NWEF, 2023). This act furthered the rights and equal oppportunities for special education students.

1975

1983

Howard Gardner: Multiple Intelligences

In 1983, Howard Gardner proposed his theory of Multiple Intelligences. His theory helped broaden the idea that intelligence is not fixed and there is not one kind of intelligence. Those with disabilities could be seen from a different perspective and given more opportunities to showcase their strengths.

1983

1986

Parental Involvement in IEP's

President Reagan signed the Handicapped Children’s Protection Act, which let parents have more of a say in the IEP's of their chidren. This act has helped the involvement we still see today. Without the involvement of parents during the IEP making process, students could be at risk for not recieving their educational needs.

1986

2004-Now

IDEA amended

The Individual with Disabilities Education Act (formally known as The Education for all Handicapped Children Act) was amended by Congress in 2004. This amendment called for "...early intervention for students, greater accountability, and improved educational outcomes, and raised the standards for instructors who teach special education classes" (University of Kansas 2023). We see the importance and use of early invention and many improvements to special education today, and we are still improving upon the needs of students.

2004

References

School of Education and Human Sciences, University of Kansas. (2023, April 24). Timeline of the individuals with disabilities education act (IDEA). KU SOE. https://educationonline.ku.edu/community/idea-timeline

Kent, C. (2023, July 31). The history of special education. Noah Webster Educational Foundation. https://nwef.org/2022/10/22/history-of-special-education/#:~:text=Special%20education%20can%20be%20traced,and%20students%20of%20all%20ages.

References