A presentation of the brief summary of the development of special education

1. H I L L A R Y K E E N
HISTORY OF SPECIAL
EDUCATION

2. BEATTIE VS BOARD OF EDUCATION
• 13 year old Beattie had a physical disability and left
teachers unsure of what to do with him
• Quoted in the case the teacher claimed he was
“nausiating”, “depressing” and “distracting” terminology
you wouldn’t hear today when discussing a student with
special needs let alone any student
• School removed student and court case ruled in school’s
favor
• This triggered a change in focus to rights of students to
an education and a disability or impairment should not
be a reason to prevent them from doing so.
• Student not in the least restricted environment due to be
alienated, given no special instruction and kicked out of
the school for having special needs.

3. COMPULSORY PUBLIC EDUCATION
• By the 1920’s and 1930’s compulsory public education became
mandated in most states, leaving schools pressured to have all
grades move together like an “assembly line” to finish at a certain
time and all be prepared for the workforce once finished with school.
• This left a problem for student’s with special needs because they
couldn’t keep up with the class.
• These students were then segregated into their own class and kept
together thinking this was the best possible solution for all.
• By the 1950’s most schools had special education programs in place,
but these students were still viewed as incapable. They would tend to
activities like basket weaving to practice their “manual skills”
• Students not in the least restricted environment because they were
not included with the general education classes and not doing the
same type of assignments/learning the same material as the other
students
• Researchers saw this as a huge problem and began looking into
other possible solutions.

4. PARENT ADVOCACY
• Around the same time as schools began to implement
special education programs, parents began to come
together and become more involved in their students
academic plans.
• Organizations were set up and used the term “retarded
and retardation” in the name of some of these
organizations, which is no longer used.
• Students were not in the least restricted environment
because parents were just beginning to have a voice
and IEP’s were not yet created.
• Traditional practices were questioned and the focus
transitioned into getting these student’s needs publically
recognized. Lobbyists also got involved and became a
huge voice for those with special needs.

5. BROWN VS. BOARD OF EDUCATION
• A court case that centered around the segregation of African
Americans, opened the door to focus on people with special
needs as well.
• 14th Amendment- cannot discriminate against any group of
people.
• Students were not in the least restricted environment because
they were segregated into like groups, not giving all groups an
equal chance to the same kind of education.
• The introduction of the term “integration” came to surface
and no group could be left our from a public education or be
segregated with those alike.
• This changed society’s view of special education because
they began to see that the education of those with special
needs was much more than just a moral obligation, it was
those student’s civil right.

6. ESEA
• Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965
• Law provided to ensure that all students have an
equal access to a high-quality education.
• Under this:
• All students must be assessed to see progress
• AYP’s and AMO’s
• Teaching practices and instructional programs must be
heavily researched and based on a postive strong impact
for student learning.
This act reinforces students, parents, teachers and students
that students with special needs can still achieve a level of
academic success comparable to most students

7. PARC VS. PENNSYLVANNIA
• 1971 – state agreed to provide a public education for
children with “mental retardation”
• Terminology has changed thus then and the term down
syndrome is used instead.
• This case set the standard that special needs students
need to be in the least restricted environment possible
and must be offered an individualized education, which
wasn’t happening up until this point.
• This opened the eyes to many that students with special
needs should be viewed as human beings, because
they are and they can exist in a public educational
setting and thrive.

8. MILLS VS. BOARD OF EDUCATION
• Quickly following PARC, this court case established
the fundamental Constitutional right to education
of all children with disabilities.
• this case required schools to provide services
regardless to the district’s ability to pay
• This contributes greatly to a least restricted
environment in a classroom for special needs
students because funding became mandatory
giving more attention and focus to students with
special needs.

9. IDEA
• Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
• Requires schools:
• To serve the educational needs of special needs students
• To evaluate those with suspected learning disabilities or other
disabilities
This act gives parents a large voice and is an opportunity to get
teachers, school administrators, parents and aids to work
together to come up with a common goal and plan for each
individual student with special needs
There are 13 different kinds of disabilities that are covered by
IDEA giving these students an opportunity to be in the least
restricted environment and learn alongside students without
special needs.
• Students under this act are in the least restricted environment
in the history of special education.