This document outlines the history of special education in the United States from the 1950s to present day. It discusses several key events and laws that improved access and inclusion for students with special needs, including the Brown v. Board of Education ruling in 1954, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1990. The document also summarizes amendments to existing laws that further advanced rights for students with disabilities and their families. Overall, it shows that education has made significant progress in providing equal and fair education for all students through increased intervention services, inclusion practices, and anti-discrimination protections.

1. History of Special Education
LAUREN GORMAN
SPE300
SEPTEMBER 1 , 2014
PROFESSOR LORI GOEAS

2. History of Special Education
There have been many events in our history that
have lead to our current stance on Special Education
in the General Education setting.
In the 1950s, many different programs were offered,
but students with special needs were thought to be
unable to learn like their peers and were therefore
segregated.
Since then, there have been many changes that have
helped create a fair and equal education for all.

3. 1954 Brown v. Board of Education
The Civil Rights movement focused on equal rights for
African Americans, but extended the idea for those with
special needs and disabilities.
In the Brown v. Board of education case, the “U.S.
Supreme Court ruled that it was unlawful under the
Fourteenth Amendment to discriminate arbitrarily
against any group of people” (Friend, 2012, Chapter 1).
The decision prevented schools and institutions from
denying admission to those with special needs and
disabilities. The only way to provide an fair an equal
education was to prevent segregation of students based
on their diversity.

4. Section 504 of the Vocational Rehab Act of 1973
A direct result of the Civil Rights Movement and Brown
V. Board of Education, was Section 504 of the Vocational
Rehab Act.
“Section 504 of the Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1973
is a civil rights law that prevents discrimination against
all individuals with disabilities in programs that receive
federal funds, as do all public schools” (Friend, 2012,
Chapter 1).
Section 504 gave all students, regardless of diversity, the
chance to engage in all school activities. The act also
provided those who did not fall within Special Needs
guidelines the resources to accomplish educational goals.

5. Education for All Handicapped Children (P.L.
94-142) 1975
“In 1975, Congress passed Public Law (P.L.) 94-142, the Education
for All Handicapped Children Act (EHCA), thereby setting federal
guidelines for special education and laying the foundation on which
current special education practice rests” (Friend, 2012, Chapter 1).
As a result of the law, the method of a least restrictive environment
was required. A least restrictive environment allows students to
have an education that is the same as their peers for as long as
possible, with help outside of the general education classroom when
needed. Also, policies and procedures to determine those with
special needs were put into place.
In 1990, the law was renamed the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act. The law was renamed to reflect more acceptable
language as well as the removal of the term handicapped.
Handicapped was replaced with the term disability (Friend, 2012,
Chapter 1). Many modifications and additions followed the IDEA
Act years later.

6. Education of the Handicapped Act Amendments
of 1986
Following P.L. 94-142, The Education of the
Handicapped Act Amendments of 1986 was enacted
“to authorize an early intervention program” for
“handicapped infants and toddlers and their
families, and for other purposes” ("Public Law 99-
457—oct. 8, 1986", n.d.).
The Amendments sought to enforce early
intervention for children from the ages of birth to
two at no cost and to provide grants to states to
assist in early intervention and services for the
children and their family (Gargiulo, 2014, Chapter 1).

7. Americans With Disabilities Act 1990
The Americans with Disabilities Act is also a civil
rights law that was “based on the Rehabilitation Act
of 1973, but it further extended the rights of
individuals with disabilities” (Friend, 2012,
Chapter 1). The law protects all of those who have
special needs or disabilities from discrimination in
both education and the work place (Friend, 2012,
Chapter 1). The law seeks to provide accessibility to
those who need it and provide equal opportunity of
employment.

8. No Child Left Behind Act 2001
The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), is “the law that
has the goal of ensuring that all students, including those
who live in poverty, have equal access to a high quality
education” (Friend, 2012, Chapter 1).
The act mandated all students to participate in
standardized testing with needed accommodations to
assess their learning and skill in mathematics, reading
and science. If a student has special needs, a modified
test may be given (Gargiulo, 2014, Chapter 2).
Schools are expected to report scores and make yearly
progress.

9. Individuals With Disabilities Education
Improvement Act of 2004
In 2004, another modified version of the Individuals
with Disabilities Education Act was passed. The
Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement
Act “established that special education teachers must be
highly qualified if they teach core academic content to
students with disabilities” (Friend, 2012, Chapter 1).
Also a result of the act, response to intervention was
enacted as a alternative way to decide if a student has a
learning disability. When intervention does not cause any
academic or behavioral changes, the student may have a
learning disability or special needs. The act allowed
teachers to play a major role in the determination of
special needs.

10. History of Special Education
Although not outlined, there have been many other
laws enacted to make sure that students are provided
a fair and equal education. It is clear to see that
education as a whole has come a long way in
providing early intervention, free services for
children and their families, and ways to make sure
that students with special needs and disabilities
succeed in and out of the classroom.

11. References
Friend, M. (2012). Including Students with Special Needs
(6th ed.). Retrieved from The University of Phoenix
eBook Collection database.
Gargiulo, R. M. (2014). Special Education in Contemporary
Society (4th ed.). Retrieved from The University of
Phoenix eBook Collection database.
PUBLIC LAW 99-457—OCT. 8, 1986. (n.d.). Retrieved from
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