Special Education in History
A brief timeline on special education in the United States

1800s
Disabled people:
- viewed as unhealthy, defective, deviant
- treated as objects of fear and pity

1945
The end of WWII and kick off period for Sp. Ed. rights movement

1947
American Association on Mental Deficiency held first convention
1950s
United Cerebral Palsy Association
Muscular Distrophy Association
John F. Kennedy's Panel on Mental Retardation
1960s
School access for disabled children increased at state and local levels
1970
U.S. schools only educated 1 out of every 5 disabled children
Many schools excluded children with major disabilities altogether
1975
Congress approved the Education for All Handicapped Children Act
Individual Education Programs were introduced

1983
The Education for All Handicapped Children Act was extended to include parent training and information centers
1986
Early intervention programs for infants and preschoolers were added to the Education for All Handicapped Children Act
2004
The Education for All Handicapped Children Act was renamed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

Terminology
Idiot, Imbecile, Moron ==> Mentally Retarded, Disabled ==> Individuals with Mental Retardation, Differently Abled
