Can you believe how much education has evolved over the past couple of centuries? One hundred years ago, schoolteachers were being sued for teaching evolution. People of color were prevented from attending white schools. And corporal punishment was widely accepted at public schools across the nation.
Seriously, it’s been a ride.
Special education has undergone a transformation of its own. Today, we look back to see how students with disabilities were treated throughout the past two hundred years.
Shunned by Society
For most of human history, people with disabilities were often viewed as less than complete humans, and their cruel treatment reflected the prejudices society held against them. To avoid ridicule, their families often hid them from the public eye.
Before the 1800s, education was well out of reach for people with disabilities.
Then, in 1817, Thomas Gallaudet and Laurent Clerc shook things up by starting a formal education program for deaf students at the Connecticut Asylum. Next, Sam Howe founded the Perkins School for the Blind in 1834, opening the doors to education for people who are blind or visually impaired.
A Nation Divided
Things took a turn for the worse around 1860. America was on the verge of a Civil War, with lines drawn on the issues of race and genetics. Sadly, this period saw a decline in educational opportunities for people with disabilities.
States passed school attendance laws, isolating students with disabilities from their nondisabled peers. Often students with disabilities weren’t educated at all out of fear they would blend into society and have children.
At the time, only about one in every ten children in need of special education received the help they needed.
A Turning Point
After World War II, the world had had enough of eugenics and the horrific acts committed by Nazi Germany, which resulted in the deaths of nine million people deemed “undesirable.” Medical breakthroughs in identifying and treating disabilities also played a big role in shaping public perceptions.
Starting in the 1960s, laws were enacted to protect people with disabilities, including students. Take the Architectural Barriers Act (ABA) of 1968, which requires that federal buildings, including schools, be accessible to people with disabilities. The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 requires that schools provide accommodations for students with disabilities on par with those provided to their nondisabled peers.
The law that most profoundly shaped the experience of modern students with disabilities, however, is the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EHA) of 1975, later known as the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA).
How Students With Disabilities Are Treated Today
Under IDEA, children with disabilities are entitled to a free appropriate public education. And that’s not all. Students with disabilities receive an Individual Education Plan (IEP), a program developed to meet their unique educational needs. In decades past, families may have hidden their children from society. Today, parents are an integral part of their child’s education, working with general and special education teachers to ensure that the best educational decisions are being made.
“Disability is a natural part of the human experience and in no way diminishes the right of individuals to participate in or contribute to society,” states IDEA.
A Classroom Where All Students Are Welcome
Students with learning disabilities like dyslexia, intellectual disabilities like autism spectrum disorder, or physical disabilities like muscular dystrophy can now only be removed if their disability is severe enough to warrant special schooling. They will forever have a place in the classroom.
In the 2022-23 school year, over two-thirds of children with disabilities were in regular classrooms for at least 80% of their school day. Students with and without disabilities now share a similar educational experience. They might need extra support, but for the most part, students with disabilities are getting the same lessons, reading the same books, and taking the same tests as nondisabled students.
More can be done to protect the rights of students with disabilities, but considering the challenges of the past, we can only marvel at how things have changed.
Pursue a Degree in Special Education
As we continue to witness a progressive shift in how students with disabilities are treated, we must empower educators with the tools and knowledge necessary to foster inclusive learning environments.
That’s where we come in.
Here at UT Permian Basin, we’re shaping a brighter future for education by empowering educators like you with all the tools and knowledge they need to create inclusive, welcoming classrooms.
We offer several online programs that will empower you to challenge stereotypes, break down barriers, and ensure that every student has the opportunity to shine in school and beyond:
- MA in Special Education
- MA in Special Education, Autism Spectrum Disorders Track
- MA in Special Education, Educational Diagnostician Track
Our programs’ coursework is as rigorous as it is rewarding, and you’ll get hands-on experience as you explore innovative teaching methods.
Here’s the best part: You’ll learn to meet the unique needs of students with disabilities while cultivating a culture of acceptance and understanding in the classroom. Graduates emerge as advocates for inclusion and champions of diversity in education.
Ready to join us in shaping a world where all students’ abilities are celebrated? Apply to one of our online MA in special education programs to take the first step toward making a difference in the lives of students with disabilities.