<P> Before the Education for All Handicapped Children Act was enacted in 1975 , U.S. public schools accommodated only 1 out of 5 children with disabilities . Until that time , many states had laws that explicitly excluded children with certain types of disabilities from attending public school , including children who were blind , deaf , and children labeled `` emotionally disturbed '' or `` mentally retarded . '' At the time the EHA was enacted , more than 1 million children in the U.S. had no access to the public school system . Many of these children lived at state institutions where they received limited or no educational or rehabilitation services . Another 3.5 million children attended school but were `` warehoused '' in segregated facilities and received little or no effective instruction . As of 2006 , more than 6 million children in the U.S. receive special education services through IDEA . </P>
<P> Before the Education for All Handicapped Children Act was enacted in 1975 , U.S. public schools accommodated only 1 out of 5 children with disabilities . Until that time , many states had laws that explicitly excluded children with certain types of disabilities from attending public school , including children who were blind , deaf , and children labeled `` emotionally disturbed '' or `` mentally retarded . '' At the time the EHA was enacted , more than 1 million children in the U.S. had no access to the public school system . Many of these children lived at state institutions where they received limited or no educational or rehabilitation services . Another 3.5 million children attended school but were `` warehoused '' in segregated facilities and received little or no effective instruction . As of 2006 , more than 6 million children in the U.S. receive special education services through IDEA . </P>
the first major legislative act for individuals with physical disabilities was passed in
the first major legislative act for individuals with physical disabilities was passed in
1975
1975