From Integration to Inclusion: A History of Special Education in the 20th Century

Appendix B / Summary of U.S. Federal Legislation on Special Education, 1879–2004

279 Appendix B Summary of U.S. Federal Legislation on Special Education, 1879–2004 1918 Pub. L. 65-178—The Smith-Sears Veterans Rehabilitation Act provided physical and vocational rehabilitation for veterans of World War I. 1920 Pub. L. 66-236—The Smith-Fess Act (also known as the Civilian Vocational Rehabilitation Act) authorized vocational rehabilitation services for civilians; initiated translation services for blind individuals. 1936 Pub. L. 74-732—Authorized blind people to operate vending stands in federal buildings. 1943 Pub. L. 78-113—The Barden-La Follette Act amended the Smith-Fess Vocational Rehabilitation Act of 1920. It allowed state commissions and other agencies to receive federal funding to provide services to people who were blind, and it provided services for those who were mentally retarded and mentally ill. 1945 Maternal and Child Welfare Act (which added to the Social Security Act) included services for crippled children. 1950 Pub. L. 81-597—National Science Foundations Act passed with the goal of improving the basic curriculum and encouraging gifted and talented students to pursue careers in mathematics and physical sciences. 1954 Pub. L. 83-531—The Cooperative Research Program allowed limited funding for cooperative educational research by the U.S. Ofce of Education and colleges, universities, and departments of education. Mental retardation was targeted. 1954 Pub. L. 83-565—Research and training promoted for the vocational rehabilitation of the disabled. 1958 Pub. L. 85-926—The National Defense Education Act provided for an appropriation of $1 million for federal grants to state governments and institutions of higher learning to encourage the education of college instructors who would in turn train teachers of the mentally retarded. 280 Appendix B 1961 Pub. L. 87-276—The Special Education Act signed by President Kennedy in September 1961 funded university-level programs designed to encourage and facilitate the training of more teachers of the deaf. It increased the number of teacher preparation programs and more than doubled the annual preparation of teachers in this eld. 1962 Pub. L. 87-715—Provisions were made for the production and distribution of captioned lms for the deaf. 1963 Pub. L. 88-164—The Mentally Retarded Facilities and Community Health Centers Act (Comprehensive Community Mental Health Centers Construction Act) signed by President Kennedy in October 1963 broadened Pub. L. 85-926 to include children with severe disabilities. It provided funding for teachers of handicapped children (mental retardation, deafness and hearing impairments, visual impairment, serious emotional disturbance, and physical and health impairments). It also provided funds for research into disability, permitted the establishment of the Division of Handicapped Children and Youth, and provided for demonstration programs for exceptional children. In addition, it provided federal money for the support and preparation of teachers of emotionally disturbed children. 1965 Pub. L. 89-10—The Elementary and Secondary Education Act was the rst broad-scale education act enabled by Congress. It was an umbrella act affecting almost all aspects of education. The many facets included provisions relating to children with disabilities, low-income families, and teachers’ salaries. It provided $1.3 billion in grants to states and localities in the rst year alone to attack the problems of educationally disadvantaged and handicapped children. 1965 Pub. L. 89-36—Established the National Technical Institute for the Deaf. 1965 Pub. L. 89-313—Elementary and Secondary Education Act amendments (Title I) granted federal funds to state agencies for educating handicapped children and youth birth through age 20 in state-operated programs. It also provided support to assist handicapped children in state institutions. 1966 Pub. L. 89-522—Expanded talking-book services for the visually impaired to include those physically handicapped people who were unable to handle print material. 1966 Pub. L. 89-750—Under Elementary and Secondary Education Act amendments (Title IV), authorization was provided to establish the Bureau of Education for the Handicapped and a National Advisory Committee on the Handicapped as well as assistance to state and local agencies for the education of the handicapped. 1967 Pub. L. 90-35—The Education Professionals Development Act provided funds to be used to increase general educators’ awareness of and sensitivity to the needs of students with disabilities. 1967 Pub. L. 90-170—The Mental Retardation Amendments, which amended the Mental Retardation Facilities and Community Mental Health Centers Construction Act of 1963 (Pub. L. 88-164), provided physical and rec- Summary 281 reational programs and professional training, including the training of...