12.2: The History of Severe Disabilities
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The history of the treatment of people with severe disabilities is similar to that of the treatment of people with intellectual disabilities (see Chapter 4). Before the establishment of advocacy organizations (e.g., The ARC), many people with severe disabilities were institutionalized. In 1975, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act 94-142 was passed, which required all public schools to provide equal access to an education for all students with disabilities. Today, the Rehabilitation Act and Americans with Disabilities Act secure the rights of individuals with severe disabilities to equal opportunity and equal protection under the law.
One driving factor that specifically spurred action for children with severe disabilities was a rubella outbreak in the 1960s. This outbreak resulted in a large number of children with severe disabilities, which rallied parental support around the movement to deinstitutionalize individuals with severe disabilities and to pass the Education for All Handicapped Children Act 94-142 (Smiley et al., 2022). However, many people with severe disabilities continue to fight for equal access to an inclusive education. Advocacy organizations such as The Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps (now called TASH) continue to play an important role in ensuring the rights of people with severe disabilities.
Smiley, L. R., Richards, S.B., & Taylor, R. (2022). Exceptional students: Preparing teachers for the 21st century (4th ed.). McGraw Hill.