The Smith-Fess Act

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In America, individuals who cope with a disability have had a long struggle for equality. In the 1800s many did not believe persons with disability were capable of living independently. According to the ASHE Higher Education Report (2013), society viewed persons with disability as incapable of thinking, learning, or achieving goals. Persons with disability were considered a disgrace and spent their entire lives in institutions or asylums for “purification”, because they were seen as unclean (Fleischer & Zames, 2000). They were viewed as being abnormal and were forced to undergo sterilization. Furthermore, persons with disability were hidden from society, unless being used for entertainment, such as circus acts. It was in the 1860s that change began …show more content…
After World War I, due to the vast number of veterans who returned home disabled, persons with disability began to be viewed differently. The Soldier’s Rehabilitation Act of 1918 created a vocational rehabilitation program for disabled veterans due to the need for support that span beyond financial assistance. Under the act, disabled veterans received training to learn new skills in jobs that match their current barriers and ability. In 1920, the Smith-Fess Act evolved the field of rehabilitation into assisting all persons with disabilities, not just disabled veterans, obtain and maintain employment through vocational education programs. By the 1930s there was a great deal of advancement in technology which assisted persons with disability (Fleischer & Zames, 2000). Barriers were decreased due to the advancement in technology. These new advancements allowed persons with disability to become self- sufficient. In 1943, the Barden- Lafollete Act allowed rehabilitation services to be expanded to assist those who coped with mental retardation and mental illness (Lee, Ingraham, Chronister, Oulvey, & Tsang,

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