A child who had a disability could be expelled from public school because they would not benefit from school and create disruption among other children. (Yell, 2016).
This event is important because this is how children with a disability were once treated.

The CEC was founded to focus on the education of students with disabilities at both the federal and state levels. The CEC helps with developing educational programming, teacher education with preservice and in-services, as well as with policy-making and lobbying efforts. (Yell, 2016).
This is important because the CEC helps develop educational opportunities for teachers and helps make policy and educate the public.

This was a landmark case in the Civil Rights Movement. This case stopped racial segregation in schools. The decision was made that segregation based solely on a "person's unalterable characteristics" (which include race and disability) was unconstitutional. (Yell, 2016)
This case was important in education as a whole, however it was also important as it triggered further court cases based solely on the educational rights of students with disabilities.

The state of Illinois was not required to provide a free public education to students with disabilities. It was believed that students with intellectual disabilities were unable to benefit from education. (Yell, 2016)
This is important because as recently as 1958 student with a disability were still being excluded.

This case followed the PARC decision. This case lead to the decision that it is deemed unconstitutional to exclude a student with a disability. It was also determined that the school board provide all children with a public education. (Yell, 2016)
This case is important because it set the basis for due process part of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act (EAHCA). (Yell, 2016)

This case followed the Brown vs. Board of Education decision. The plaintiffs fought that Pennsylvania was not providing education to students with mental retardation. The point was made that all students with "mental retardation" had the capability of benefiting from education. They also stated that education is not just based on academics since one can learn other daily living skills as well. They also wanted access to education for children with a disability as early as preschool. The case ended with the state agreeing that children ages 6-21 with mental retardation are given access to a free public education. (Yell, 2016)
This case was very important as it started the idea that children with a disability deserve equal rights as their peers.

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act was the first federal civil rights law that protected individuals with a disability. Individuals who have a disability are not to be discriminated against. (Yell, 2016)
This is important as it sets the tone that individuals should not be discriminated against because of their disability.

This act required qualified students with a disability to have the right to testing, evaluation, and placement procedures which were nondiscriminatory, required that students be placed in the least restrictive environment, due process with parent involvement, a free education, as well as an appropriate education. All of the above was developed in an individualized education program (IEP). (Yell, 2016)
This was important because it was the most increase in the role of the federal government in special education. (Yell, 2016) This act also introduced IEP's.

This important act ensures that no one is discriminated against based on a disability. This includes schools. The ADA also ensures accessibility to all individuals with a disability. (U.S. Department of Education, n.d.)
This is important to education because schools must ensure accessibility as well as not discriminate against individuals with disabilities.

These amendments renamed the EAHCA to the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA). These amendments added the requirement of transition planning for those 16 or older. (Yell, 2016)
This is important because IDEA is what we know today. Transition planning is also an important addition.

This act was enacted to help improve academic achievement in schools. This law requires schools to numerical show improvement of student outcomes. All schools had a period of time to improve state standards. This applied to students with disabilties as well. Students with disabilites were not excluded from the accountability systems. (Yell, 2016)
This is important because it has impacted schools today. This act is still in place however has had some modifications.

This is our current version of IDEA. It defines what a "highly qualified" special education teacher is considered. States are prohibited from using a discrepancy formula to determine eligibility among students with learning disabilities. A response to intervention model is encouraged to determining learning disabilities. (Yell, 2016)
This is important as it is what is expected today as an educator in special education.