prior to 1950s, many people were housed in state institutions, kept separate from the general population in society, and often confined and cared for in ways now considered inhumane.
In the late 1950s, federal legislation began instituting training programs for special education teachers and specialists; legislation for services such captioned films were enacted; early, elementary and secondary schools gained access to funds to support meeting special education learner needs.

Public Law 94-142 provided assurance for "all children with disabilities have available to them…a free appropriate public education which emphasizes special education and related services designed to meet their unique needs", "the rights of children with disabilities and their parents…protected", "States and localities to provide for the education of all children with disabilities", and "the effectiveness of efforts to educate all children with disabilities"

1980's amendments expanded services already in place for youth ages 3-21 by mandating that states provide programs and services from birth, and began requiring transition services for youth from high school to adult life.
required education delivered in the "least restrictive environment"

EHA is renamed the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)
Improvements to LRE provisions move more disabled youth into diverse classrooms with their peers.

More recent amendments intend to improve upon providing an education that meets a child’s unique needs and prepares the child for further education, employment, and independent living, protecting the rights of both children with disabilities and their parents, and aligning with No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legisaltion. Continued efforts are needed to address the disproportionate identification of minority youth.