The Evolution of Special Education: Milestones in Supporting Diverse Learners

It’s easy to forget that special education in its current form has only existed for about thirty years. The progress made in that time is significant. While it is never easy to be a child in need of special services, schools are now equipped with the funding to provide kids with the specialized care that they require and deserve. 

But how did it get to this point? In this article, we take a look at how has evolved over the last several decades. 

Who Requires Special Education?

Special educators work with a wide range of different students. Many kids receiving special education services can participate in normal classroom activities. They interact with the SPED specialist only to receive help with specific obstacles that serve as a barrier to their learning. 

For example, many students will work with a reading specialist if they struggle with dyslexia. They are able to do well in school thanks to the accommodations they get through SPED.

Other kids will spend most, or all of their time in an instructional special ed classroom. These students typically score well below grade level and may focus more on developing life skills than school learning. 

While many people mistakenly assume that special education services are reserved for people with significant disabilities, the truth is that a broad range of learning disorders that have nothing to do with mental acuity can fall under SPED’s broad umbrella of services. 

Legal Foundations of Special Education

Special education has experienced inconsistent legal standing over the last century. While students who require unique learning conditions now generally enjoy robust legal protections, this is a relatively recent development that was only adopted in earnest toward the later part of the 20th century. 

The watershed moment for special education protections began with the passage of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975. This act was later renamed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). 

This decision made free public education mandatory for all students with disabilities. 

This marked a significant change in the lives of students with unique learning requirements. Before 1975, students with academic disabilities were routinely denied access to education by schools that did not have the resources to handle them. 

IDEA also helped make individualized education plans (IEPs) a standard aspect of special education. All of a sudden, a significant portion of the student body (many modern school districts now have as much as 15% of students receiving SPED services) were able to access the tools required to help them thrive. 

Emergence of Inclusive Education

Special education experienced its next significant leap in the form of the “inclusive education movement,” which saw students with disabilities included more regularly in standard classroom learning.

Prior to inclusive education, children receiving SPED services would spend almost all of their time isolated from the rest of the student body. This changed in the late 20th century as educators opted for increasingly more inclusive learning environments. 

Traditional classroom immersion for special education students has been shown to have several benefits. For one thing, it allows them the opportunity to experience grade-level work and push themselves toward new objectives. 

It also promotes more generalized social integration, giving them and their peers an opportunity to live and work harmoniously together. 

Advances in Assessment and Individualized Education Plans (IEPs)

We mentioned IEPs briefly in an earlier heading. In terms of special education milestones, few developments can stand up to the significance of the introduction of the IEP. 

IEPs began to emerge in 1975 with the first wave of academic inclusion legislation. They became standardized in 1990 when IDEA was re-affirmed by Congress. 

IEPs are a foundational aspect of supporting diverse learners by dismissing the “one size fits all approach,” in favor of bespoke curriculums. Students with individualized learning plans are able to benefit from lessons that are specifically designed to help them overcome, or adapt to their learning difficulties. 

Technology in Special Education

Technology is naturally playing a significant role in how all classrooms function. In the context of SPED, it allows students to gain access to resources that were previously unavailable. For example, there are specially designed programs that allow them to do individualized work that adapts in difficulty based on their skill level. 

Remote collaboration technology theoretically can give SPED students access to specialists from all over the world. And advanced analytic software makes it easier for teachers to take a long view of academic progress, monitoring milestones, and adjusting their approach accordingly. Increased access to analytics allows teachers to leverage efficiency-oriented strategies similar to that were previously unavailable to them. 

Shifting Cultural Attitudes

It’s worth pointing out that as the law has shifted, so too has cultural perception. There is now significantly less stigma associated with SPED services than there used to be. The word “neurodiversity,” is now used as an inclusive way of describing and supporting the wide range of learners receiving public school services. 

Destigimitization is an important development in the world of SPED services. While children still undoubtedly experience hardship related to their disability, they are less likely to be bullied about their disabilities than they were thirty years ago. This makes it easier for kids with unique needs to attend school, but it also makes children more likely to be transparent about their academic struggles in the first place. 

Conclusion

Children who require special education services are still uniquely vulnerable. It’s hard being a school-aged child even without a disability. Adding barriers to learning can be a stifling experience that makes desirable academic outcomes very hard to achieve. 

Special education continues to shift in promising directions. However, it’s important to remember that progress has historically come on the strength of community advocacy. If your child is receiving special education services, make a point of staying as involved as you can in their academic experiences. Communicate with their teachers, attend IEP meetings, and stay as informed as you can. Knowledge is power.