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Thomas Gallaudet and Laurent Clark founded the first permanent school for children who were deaf in Hartford, CT. This was a turning point because it gave kids with disabilities an opportunity to learn, when society often ignored their needs. -
By the early 1900s, states began requiring all children to attend school. Sadly, many students with disabilities were still excluded or placed in institutions. These laws laid the foundation for today's expectation that every child deserves an education. -
This case ended segregation in public schools. Even though it focused on race, the idea "separate is not equal" influenced special education. It inspired later cases that pushed for students with disabilities to learn alongside their peers. -
The ESEA provided federal funding to help schools serve disadvantaged students, including those with disabilities. This law showed the government's growing commitment to equal access in education and set the stage for more protections. -
Timetoast This link is a site from the ASU Embryo Project that describes how this case forced the state to stop denying education to kids with disabilities. It also provides a good background for anyone that wants to go further. -
A D.C. court ruled that schools couldn't deny education to children with disabilities. It required schools to provide services and due process protections. This case helped shape the principle that all kids belong in school. -
Section 504 was the first civil rights law that was designed to protect individuals with disabilities. It made it illegal for schools and programs that received federal funding to discriminate. It forced schools to actually take meaningful actions to include those people. -
Timetoast This video sums up how this law guaranteed a free, appropriate public education (FAPE), introduced IEPs, and pushed for learning in the least restrictive environment. -
IDEA, which replaced the original law developed in 1975, expanded services and insisted that students are included in general education settings, when appropriate. IDEA also prepared students for independent living, employment, or further education. IDEA continues to serve as the framework for special education today. -
The ADA extended the protections of disability rights to jobs, transportation, and public life, reaffirming the position that students with disabilities should have the same opportunities regardless of whether they are in the classroom or not.