Introduction
The special education needs of learners with disabilities are being well met in modern classrooms and communities because of available laws, research, funding, and initiatives. A continual stream of regulations, rules, funds, associations, and judgments was created to give all learners with special needs opportunities initially inconceivable until special education legislation got rolling. Attributable to the established rules and judgments, a solid groundwork for an outstanding education for all students has been laid, and individualized instruction is now widely recognized in every community.
Timeline
Law on Compulsory Education: 1852
Massachusetts approved the first compulsory school laws, paving the way for other states and government agencies to follow suit and make it mandatory that all children attend school.
Public School Programming: 1910
In 1910, states began mandating that their public school systems include special education programs for students with impairments (Francisco et al., 2020). This led to the creation of special education classrooms and related services.
Council for Exceptional Children: 1922
It is a service organization dedicated to improving the lives of children with special needs via advocacy, innovative programming, teacher training, policy reform, and legislative actions.
Brown v. Board of Education: 1954
This case highlighted the educational disparities between black and white kids, as well as those with and without special needs, with many advocacy groups being formed in response.
The Elementary and Secondary Education Act: 1965
This legislation guaranteed that schools catering to children with special needs get adequate financing to provide equal educational opportunities for its students, hence raising academic benchmarks.
Pennsylvania Association for Retarded Citizens (PARC) v. Pennsylvania: 1972
All students with disabilities from the age of 6 to 21 were entitled to free educational programs comparable to those received by children without impairments.
Mills v. Board of Education: 1972
Due process processes, procedural safeguards, and the provision of public education to students with disabilities were mandated in this case, addressing the exclusion of such pupils.
First Center for Independent Living Commences: 1972
This facility was established to support the requirements of persons with disabilities, help them maintain their independence, and avoid institutional settings like nursing homes (Frey, 2019).
Education for All Handicapped Children Act: 1975
The EAHCA mandated that states create policies to ensure that kids with disabilities had access to special education and other necessary services, which boosted government participation.
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): 1990
ADA is a law that prohibits discrimination based on a person’s handicap in public and private settings, including schools, neighborhoods, and workplaces that receive federal funding.
Individuals with Disabilities Education Act: 2004
It is an American law passed in 1990 that mandates the government offer learners with disabilities an accessible public education. In December 2004, legislation was passed renewing the IDEA.
Summary
In the timeline, one can see how inclusive policies have gradually replaced discrimination against learners with disabilities. Disability education laws safeguard the rights of learners with disabilities to participate in public school programs adapted to their specific needs and prohibit states from excluding these students from educational and vocational possibilities. Those interested in the history of legislation enacted to prevent discrimination against people with disabilities in public places, including schools, workplaces, and neighborhoods, will find the timeline informative (Zirkel, 2020). The dramatic shifts since the late 1800s demonstrate the ability of national policy to help those unable to advocate for themselves.
ADA is a regulation that forbids discrimination based on disability in all public and private settings. The act’s overarching goal is to guarantee that people with disabilities have the same civil liberties and employment prospects as their non-disabled counterparts. It ensures that people with disabilities have access to public spaces, jobs, and government programs on both the local and national levels. IDEA has evolved to increase accountability, better learning outcomes, and ensure stricter rules for special education teachers (Zirkel, 2020). It mandates that 15 percent of each school district’s budget be allocated to special education. IDEA is divided into several subparts, ensuring that all eligible children have access to a publicly funded education.
In retrospect, the lessons I learned about the evolution of special education and the importance of ethical practice will inform my teaching in the future. Maintaining high standards of expertise and ethics while setting ambitious goals for students with special needs is important to my professional ethos, and I commit to doing so at all times. To be a good teacher, I will abide by special education regulations. Moreover, I will be responsible for fostering students’ development while also promoting educational equity and justice. This will allow me to put into practice the principles of ethics contained in the guidelines for professional conduct and ethical values for special education.
Conclusion
Given the abundance of existing laws, research, financial support, and initiatives, the special education needs of students with disabilities are effectively addressed in modern classrooms and communities. Due to the established rules and rulings, a solid foundation for excellent education for all children has been established, and individualized instruction is widely acknowledged in every community. Massachusetts passed the first laws requiring all children to attend school, laying the foundation for other states and departments to adopt similar policies. The ADA prohibits discrimination based on disability in both public and private setups, including educational establishments, neighborhoods, and federally funded workplaces. IDEA is divided into several sections to ensure that all eligible students can access free public education. In the future, due to the lessons I have learned about the development of special education, I will adhere to the established regulations to be a good teacher.
References
Francisco, M., Hartman, M., & Wang, Y. (2020). Inclusion and special education. Education Sciences, 10(9), 1-17. Web.
Frey, J. R. (2019). Assessment for special education: Diagnosis and placement. The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 683(1), 149-161. Web.
Zirkel, P. A. (2020). An updated primer of special education law. Teaching Exceptional Children, 52(4), 261-265. Web.