This week we had a presentation on the history of mental and physical illnesses in the US by Alma and Sunny. We went over a timeline of events and legislations that were aimed to create equal opportunities for persons with disabilities. Prior to any legislation people were subjected to being placed in over crowded institutions, involuntary sterilization, and overall not receiving any help or proper education.
Overall, it is clear that a lot of action has been taken to try to improve the outcomes and opportunities available for people with disabilities. However, it is also apparent that we still have a long way to go and there is much more that we can do in our local communities as well as nationally and globally.
- 1947 - President Truman established Physically Handicapped Week, which is now expanded to National Disability Employment Awareness Month in October.
- 1950s - Vocational Rehabilitative Amendments were passed along with US Civil Service Commission directives.
- 1954 - Brown v. Topeka Board of Education argued that students with disabilities also deserve protective equal educational rights.
- 1965 - President Lyndon Johnson signed the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) which applied more funding to education.
- 1967 - Congress added Title VI to create the Bureau of Education for the Handicapped (BEH).
- 1973 - Rehabilitation Act prohibited businesses with federal contracts from discriminating in employment or services on the basis of disability.
- 1974 - Education for all Handicapped Children Act passed mandating that all children with disabilities be granted a free, appropriate public education.
- 1990 - Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) passed by President Bush that required equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities in employment, public accommodation, transportation, state and local government services, and telecommunications.
- 2002 - ESEA was renamed to No Child Left Behind and included increased accountability for students and teachers and more options for parents.
- 2004 - Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act passed that focused more on real world skills, has a greater focus on outcomes rather than compliance.
Overall, it is clear that a lot of action has been taken to try to improve the outcomes and opportunities available for people with disabilities. However, it is also apparent that we still have a long way to go and there is much more that we can do in our local communities as well as nationally and globally.