Institutions
& Institutionalization
& Institutionalization
Why were disabled people placed in institutions in the late 19th and early 20th centuries?
Society believed disabled people were incapable of living independently, were a financial burden, or needed to be "trained" to be productive.
How were disabled students treated in schools during this time?
Many were excluded, placed in segregated classrooms, or received minimal education.
What kinds of jobs were disabled people expected to do in the late 19th and early 20th centuries?
Many were placed in low-paying, repetitive jobs in workshops or asylums, often under exploitative conditions.
What was the original purpose of IQ testing?
It was designed to identify students needing extra academic help but was later misused to rank intelligence.
What was the eugenics movement, and how did it relate to disability?
Eugenics was a belief in "improving" society by controlling reproduction. Disabled people were seen as "unfit" and targeted for sterilization.
What were conditions like in institutions?
They were often overcrowded, unsanitary, and abusive. Residents faced neglect, forced labor, and harsh punishments.
What was the purpose of early “special education” programs?
They focused more on discipline and control rather than academic learning.
Why were disabled people often excluded from the mainstream workforce?
Employers viewed them as less capable, and many workplaces were physically inaccessible.
How did IQ tests become a tool for discrimination against disabled people?
Low scores were used to justify segregation, institutionalization, and forced sterilization.
How did the government justify forced sterilization of disabled people?
They claimed it would prevent "defective" traits from being passed down and reduce the number of people who relied on public assistance.
How did institutionalization affect families of disabled individuals?
Many families felt pressured to send disabled relatives away due to lack of support or societal stigma.
Why were disabled students often placed in separate classrooms?
Schools claimed they would slow down other students and that they needed different types of education.
How did institutions use disabled people for unpaid labor?
Residents were often forced to do laundry, farming, and other tasks to keep institutions running without pay.
Who created the first IQ test, and what was its original goal?
Alfred Binet created the first IQ test to help struggling students in France.
What was the Supreme Court case Buck v. Bell (1927) about?
It upheld the right of states to sterilize disabled individuals without consent, reinforcing eugenics policies.
What role did institutions play in controlling disabled people’s lives?
They restricted personal freedom, prevented access to education, and subjected individuals to medical experiments and sterilization.
How did race and class affect access to education for disabled students?
Poor and minority students were more likely to be institutionalized or denied an education.
What was the relationship between disability and poverty during this time?
Many disabled people lived in poverty due to job discrimination, lack of social support, and exclusion from education.
Why were IQ tests problematic for disabled individuals?
They were biased, did not account for disabilities, and ignored different ways intelligence could be expressed.
How did the eugenics movement affect institutionalization?
It increased institutionalization because people believed disabled individuals needed to be separated from society to prevent reproduction.
What were some ways disabled individuals resisted institutionalization?
Some escaped, organized within institutions, or shared their stories with activists who fought for disability rights.
What were some early efforts to improve education for disabled students?
Disability advocates and some educators pushed for inclusive classrooms and better teacher training.
What were some early efforts to provide employment opportunities for disabled people?
Some reformers created sheltered workshops, but these often paid very low wages and reinforced segregation.
How did IQ testing contribute to the eugenics movement?
Eugenicists used IQ scores as "evidence" to label people as "unfit" and justify sterilization laws.
How did resistance to eugenics grow over time?
Disability rights activists, journalists, and some doctors began exposing the cruelty and scientific flaws of eugenics, leading to policy changes.