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First American School for the Deaf
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First American School for the Deaf
Before 1817, deaf children in America had nowhere to turn. Then two unlikely partners - an idealistic Yale grad named Thomas Gallaudet and a French educator, Laurent Clerc - opened a small school in Hartford. What began in that modest Connecticut building became the birthplace of American Sign Language and changed deaf education forever. Pretty amazing how a chance partnership between an American minister and a French teacher ended up creating a language that's still thriving today. -
First School for the Blind
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First School for the Blind
In 1829, while most of America was still figuring out what to do with students who couldn't see, a group of Boston educators decided to stop waiting around. They founded what we now know as Perkins School for the Blind - the first of its kind in the country. These pioneers didn't just change lives; they completely flipped the script on what people thought was possible in special education. -
Elementary and Secondary Education Act
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Elementary and Secondary Education Act
In 1965, LBJ did something revolutionary - he got the federal government to open its wallet for education. By signing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, he turned "equal education for all" from a nice idea into actual policy. This wasn't just about money though - it paved the way for special education laws and showed that Washington could (and should) step in to give every kid a fair shot at learning. -
PARC v. Pennsylvania
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PARC v. Pennsylvania
In 1971, Pennsylvania learned a hard lesson in court: you can't tell kids with disabilities they don't belong in school. The landmark case forced the state to do what it should've done all along - provide education that works for every child, regardless of their learning differences. It was the first time a court basically said, "Different isn't less, and every kid deserves a chance to learn." -
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
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Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
In 1973, disability rights finally got their day in court. Section 504 was short and sweet: if you take federal money, you can't discriminate against people with disabilities. Period. It sounds simple now, but back then? Revolutionary. This little piece of civil rights law lit the fuse for a much bigger fight - one that's still changing lives today. -
Education for All Handicapped Children Act
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Education for All Handicapped Children Act
1975 was the year special education got real. Congress passed a law that finally said what parents had known all along: every kid deserves a shot at learning, disability or not. No more excuses, no more separate-but-equal nonsense. Schools had to create personalized plans for each student and keep them in regular classrooms when possible. Simple idea, massive impact. -
IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act)
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IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act)
In 1990, special education got an upgrade. The law got a new name - IDEA - and some serious muscle. It recognized autism and traumatic brain injuries for the first time, pushed for more inclusive classrooms, and made sure schools thought about students' futures, not just their present. Same goal as before, but with sharper teeth. -
IDEA Amendments
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IDEA Amendments
Congress shook things up in '97 when they revamped IDEA. The message was clear: just getting kids with disabilities through the door wasn't cutting it anymore. Schools needed to show actual results, deal with behavior challenges head-on, and get regular teachers involved in planning. It was time to stop treating special education like it existed in its own little bubble. -
No Child Left Behind Act
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No Child Left Behind Act
In 2001, No Child Left Behind burst onto the scene with big promises and even bigger demands. Schools had to prove - with cold, hard numbers - that all their students were improving, disabilities or not. Sounds reasonable enough, until you realize what this meant in practice: endless testing that often felt more like a punishment than a solution. Classic case of right idea, wrong toolbox. -
IDEA Reauthorization
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IDEA Reauthorization
2004's IDEA makeover was all about getting real. No more guessing games about what works - schools had to use teaching methods that actually had science behind them. Teachers needed proper training, parents got more power, and everyone had to prove students were actually learning something. Think of it as special education's reality check: good intentions weren't enough anymore, results mattered.