The United States Department of EducationIn the history of special education, it is safe to say that it has changed immensely. Before the 1980s, children with special needs were not recognized or cared for in the education department. With the help of RTI [or Response To Intervention], thousands of children were able to receive an education that opened a window into laws: both federal and within states. In order to protect children with special needs, programs and laws have been created to essentially protect the student and their education. And although there is still a stigma against the mentally and physically disabled, they can now go to school and have their needs met. With the creation of laws and acts, if a student is not in a school with a handicap bathroom or elevator, they will be moved or changes will be implemented to accommodate their needs, such as installing a handicap bathroom and retaining the student on the first floor only. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get Original Essay What led to all these great things were concerned parents who formed an advocacy group in the early 1960s, which had contacted both Presidents John F. Kennedy and President Lyndon. They signed support for the intellectually disabled and supported funding for elementary and primary school education for the disabled. While this didn't exactly set things in motion, it was one of the first major events to catalyze change for children with special needs. With the help of RTI, things really got moving with the help of diagnosing children, moving them to what they need, and creating additional supplies for children who needed them. At that point, children with disabilities began receiving the education they deserved on a large scale nationwide in the late 1970s and early 1980s. On top of that, the IDEA [Individuals with Disabilities Education Act] and the EHA [Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975] have already been created, which has been a great help on the legal side of things in the progress of special education..