Major milestones

Who and what has shaped education for students with disability over time?

Since the late 1800s, key events have led to advances in education. These events have prompted governments and education systems to move from exclusion to special education, from segregation to integration, and from integration to inclusion. Here is a summary of some of these events. Watch the video to learn more.

Early 1800s Complete exclusion of children with disability from education

Late 1800s Creation of schools for children with vision or hearing impairment

1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights

1954 Brown vs Board of Education (USA)

1971 PARC vs Pennsylvania (USA)

1975 Education for all Handicapped Children Act (PL 94-142)

1978 The Warnock Report (UK)

1994 UNESCO’s Salamanca Statement on Special Needs Education

2008 United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)

2016 General Comment No. 4 on the CRPD (United Nations)

These are just some of the events that have contributed to the inclusive education movement. All have been influential in their own way, however the CRPD and General Comment No. 4 together mark a turning point in history. Inclusive education has been defined; its meaning is not up for debate. The objective now is to implement it. And this course will provide you with the essential knowledge needed to do that.