IDD In Education Essay

Greek Civilization is typically thought of as a time of enlightenment and societal progression, but the opposite was true for those with IDD. This callous time period held very sparse knowledge about disabilities; consequently, infanticide and hate speech from influential figures such as Plato and Aristotle were considered the best way to deal with those with IDD. Similarly, during the 17 and 18th century, those with an IDD were forced to live within the confines of neglectful hospitals and prisons, resulting in 70-80% of all individuals dying within the walls of these terrible institutions. Only after so many died did a select few psychiatrists begin to advocate for humane treatment of those with IDD with a new approach called “moral treatment.” Finally, the influence of President Kennedy having a sister with IDD led to the initiation of …show more content…
Building upon that, IDEA, or better known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, focused on further improving the education that children with disabilities received by implementing early intervention programs, which would identify potential learning barriers. Additionally, IDEA emphasized the importance of educating children with IDD alongside their non-disabled peers, which promoted higher expectations to properly challenge those who needed it. Most recently enacted in 2015 was the “Every Student Succeeds” Act, which unconditionally required that all students—both IDD and non-IDD—were taught to higher academic standards that would prepare them for continued education and entering the workforce. Moreover, the “Every Student Succeeds” Act upheld equity of treatment for students with IDD by monitoring protections put in place to advance students who had higher