What is the importance of the deinstitutionalization movement and the philosophy of normalization in the development of today’s special education services?
Institutions for individuals with severe disabilities were overcrowded, inadequately funded, and did not meet safety standards (Murdick, Gartin & Fowler, 2014). These concerns, which were revealed to the public by Blatt & Kaplan, gained the attention of others and helped to start the search for alternatives to institutionalization (Murdick, Gartin & Fowler, 2014).
Bank-Mikkelson and Nirje introduced normalization in the late 1960s (Murdick, Gartin & Fowler, 2014). Their idea removed individuals from institutions and placed them in a more “normal” environment. Individuals with intellectual
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Why did advocacy groups feel the necessity for a “bill of rights” for persons with developmental disabilities?
Parents of children with an intellectual disability started to form support groups when they were frustrated with the lack of inclusion in the public schools and the concerning services their children were receiving in the residential facilities (Murdick, Gartin & Fowler, 2014). Parents and family members were concerned for the well being and opportunities that their loved one was excluded from.
These local groups eventually formed national groups (the International League of Societies for the Mentally Handicapped, the American Association on Mental Retardation, and the Joint Commission on Mental Health of Children) who worked together to develop basic rights for individuals with intellectual and physical disabilities (Murdick, Gartin & Fowler, 2014).
The “bill of rights” for persons with developmental disabilities was included in the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 1975 (Murdick, Gartin & Fowler, 2014). The “bill of rights” state that individuals with developmental disabilities are given the same rights as others without disabilities who are citizens of the same country and of the same age (Murdick, Gartin & Fowler,
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How did the Civil Rights movement impact the provision of services for persons with disabilities?
Although, at the time, Civil Rights was a national concern, the rights of individuals with disabilities also become an important social issue too (Murdick, Gartin & Fowler, 2014).
The landmark case of the Civil Rights movement was Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas, 1954. This case also lead to legislation guaranteeing educational and civil rights for individuals with disabilities. It was determined that exclusion and segregation were illegal. Not only were students of different race and ethnicities allowed in the public schools, but so were students with disabilities (Murdick, Gartin & Fowler, 2014).
4. How did President Kennedy’s charge to Congress in 1963 change the direction of services for persons with disabilities for the next 20 years?
Kennedy’s charge to Congress resulted in 112 disability legislation recommendations for the next 20 years. He created a panel whose purpose was to study ways to improve the quality of life for individuals with disabilities. This charge provided future legislation with direction as six court decisions were made (Murdick, Gartin & Fowler,