Special education aims to educate children with physical or mental disabilities whose needs cannot be met in a regular classroom. The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services works to fully integrate people with disabilities through equal access to education, employment, and community living. The Office of Special Education Programs seeks to improve results for infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities by providing leadership and funding support to states and local districts. Special education has evolved from historically ignoring or abandoning disabled children to establishing schools and programs to serve over 5 million students by 2001.

1. Special Education
By,
Kelsey Key

2. Definition
O The education
of physically or
mentally
handicapped
children whose
needs cannot
be met in an
ordinary
classroom.

3. Mission of the U.S.
Department of Education
O Office of Special
Education and
Rehabilitative Services:
“To provide leadership to
achieve full integration
and participation in society
of people with disabilities
by ensuring equal
opportunity and access to,
and excellence in,
education, employment
and community living.”

4. Mission of The Office of
Special Education Programs
“Improve results for
infants, toddlers,
children and youth
with disabilities,
ages, birth through
21, by providing
leadership and
financial support to
assist states and
local districts. “

5. History
O Before 1800: children
were
ignored, abandoned, &
were left to die
O 16th Century: Ponce de
Leon taught deaf
students to
communicate
O 17th Century: Juano
Pablo Bonet developed
a way for the blind to
spell by using their
fingers & later on, Jacob
Rodriguez simplified
sign language

6. History
O The first institution
was established in
1800-1900 in both
Europe and in the
U.S.
O At the beginning of
the 20th
Century, Alexander
Graham Bell and
special educational
programs in public
schools

7. The Education for All
Handicapped Children Act
O Passed by Congress
in 1975
O Required schools to
construct programs
for children who are
disabled
O Modified in 1983
O Renamed Individuals
with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA)
in 1992.

8. Facts about Special Education
O Served over five
million students in
2001
O Almost 14% (about
6.6 million) of
school-aged
children, in the
U.S., receive some
form of extra help
through special
education (2008)

9. The End
Thank you for listening 