Treatment of People with Disability Throughout History

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People with disabilities were not always treated fairly. Many changes have occurred to change the way we treat and view others that have different abilities. Laws have been created and amended in an effort to enhance the quality of life of people with disabilities. People’s attitudes towards others with disabilities has changed due to litigation which then led to new laws being past in an effort to treat others as equals. Prior to the 1800’s society had fearful thoughts about people with special needs. People believed that people with special needs were demon possessed. Thus people with disabilities were often put to death or abandoned during this time period (S, Truscott, R, Berry, and K, Lee, 2004). During the 1800’s thinking began to change. Institutions were developed to help protect society from people with disabilities (M, Hardman, C, Drew, and M, Egan, 2009). Psychologist and physicians started to experiment with educating children with disabilities; which was the beginning of our current standards (S, Truscott, R, Berry, and K, Lee, 2004). In 1971 litigation was brought forth in Pennsylvania stating that schools must provide a free public education to all school-age children with mental retardation (M, Hardman, C, Drew, and M, Egan, 2009). Then in 1990 the same law is renamed the individuals with Disabilities Educations Act or IDEA (M, Hardman, C, Drew, and M, Egan, 2009). This law is the foundation for which the laws we have today have been based off. Many amendments were to fallow this law to make it what we have today. In 1975 a new law was developed that stated that all people have access to a free and appropriate public education regardless of their disabilities (S, Truscott, R, Berry, and K, Lee, 2004). ... ... middle of paper ... ...M. Winston. Egan. Human Exceptionality: School, Community, and Family. Boston: Pearson/Allyn and Bacon, 2005. Print. "INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIES EDUCATION IMPROVEMENT ACT OF 2004 (IDEIA), PL 108-446." Encyclopedia of Special Education: A Reference for the Education of Children, Adolescents, and Adults with Disabilities and Other Exceptional Individuals. N.p.: Wiley, 2007.Credo Reference. 19 Jan. 2010. Web. 12 May 2014. . "Special Education." Encyclopedia of Applied Psychology. N.p.: Elsevier Science & Technology, 2004.Credo Reference. 3 July 2013. Web. 11 May 2014. .

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