Elizabeth E. Farrell was born in 1870 in New York State. Farrell attended Oswego Normal and Training School to study teaching. After two years of training Farrell accepted a position in a small community, where she taught for only one year before accepting a position in New York City. It is at the Henry Street School that Elizabeth found herself faced with the challenge of teaching many children with a variety of needs. Farrell designed her curriculum and lessons towards the individual needs of her students. This curriculum of hers is considered the first special education curriculum. Elizabeth Farrell is credited with teaching the first special education class. Her class and methods, thus, became the model for other classes which aimed to help better reach atypical students. Further, Farrell was passionate about establishing a professional community of special education teachers. To this end Elizabeth founded the Council for Exceptional Children in 1922.
Reference:
Kode, K.K. (2002). Elizabeth Farrell and the history of special education. Council for Exceptional Children.
Comments