“History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again.”
– Maya Angelou

The history of people with developmental disabilities is a powerful story of discrimination, segregation, abuse, ignorance, silence and, sometimes, good intentions that brought bad results. For the most part, it is the story of people with no power, no choices, no voices, and no champions. Fortunately, that is changing.

For better or worse, the past is always with us. It is up to each generation and each person to decide what to do with that information.

In this course, you will travel through time to learn how people with developmental disabilities lived, learned and worked from ancient times to today and how history repeats itself. You’ll also learn about important changes that are leading to a more inclusive society. You will explore:

  • Common themes that repeat throughout the history of people with developmental disabilities
  • Ancient Times to 1949
  • 1950 to 1979
  • 1980 to 1999
  • 2000 to Present

Partners in Time updated November 2020