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History of Special Education

In: English and Literature

Submitted By staciashton1
Words 1693
Pages 7
History of Special Education
Grand Canyon University: SPE 526
June 25, 2014

ABSTRACT
Special education has been at the center point of education for the past decades. The foundations of education never considered those with disabilities important or relevant in the classroom. Therefore, disabled students did not receive fair or equal treatment. Over the past century teachers, governments, and families have worked to create laws and regulations to ensure that students with disabilities have fair and equal treatment in schools. This paper will discuss the history of special education and law and acts that were created to help the field. In addition, current and future challenges of special education are also examined.
Keywords: special education, No Child Left Behind, Individuals with Disabilities Education

According to the United States Department of Education there were 6 million children from the age of birth to 21 that received special education services in 2009-2010 (Department of Education). In addition, since the federal government started reporting child data in 1977 the percentage of students receiving special education services has doubled from 23.8% to 42.3%. With encouraging statistics like those mentioned it seems like the United Sates has always been innovators of special education. However, this is actually not the case. When the founding fathers of education established the foundations of school, individuals with special needs were not considered. In fact, individuals with disabilities have historically been discriminated upon and have struggled for acceptance (GCU, 2010). Educational institutions even promoted the exclusion of children with disabilities (GCU, 2010). To put this in perspective, the first school in America, Boston Latin School, was established in 1635 in Boston, Massachusetts (First). It was not until 1817, almost 200 years

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