BRIEF HISTORY OF SPECIAL EDUCATION : Dr Nadeem Ghayas

July 6, 2024

The history of special education is very lengthy and has many different belief systems and strategies that have developed over the years. In ancient times such as Greece and Rome, there were initial attempts at educating some people with disabilities. During the Middle Ages and the 18th century, most people with disabilities were isolated from society and therefore, this was an isolationist approach. During the 19th century, specialized care facilities were created instead of educational facilities. It wasn’t until the mid-20th century when the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (IDEA) was passed requiring states to provide “free and appropriate” public education for children with disabilities and other initiatives to support integration into regular classrooms, that special education began to shift dramatically towards individualized education planning (IEP) and inclusion into general education classrooms.

Thus, throughout its history, special education has shifted from an approach of exclusion and institutionalization to one of inclusion and providing individualized supports; this reflects the larger societal movement of change in attitude toward disability rights and education.