This book presents an interdisciplinary chronological perspective on the history of children considered exceptional and how services to them have evolved over time. It begins by placing the origins of special education in historical context from Aristotle through the Enlightenment and beyond. Subsequent chapters consider individual conditions traditionally associated with specialized approaches (i.e., blindness, deafness, and mental retardation) and the evolution of their treatment. The book discusses physical and emotional/behavioral conditions that have given rise to further differentiation of childhood exceptionality. Individual chapters address the following subjects: (1) the legacy of neglect characteristic of the history of childhood and disability; (2) the origins of special education in the enlightenment; (3) the rise of social reform movements and their influence on childhood and education; (4) deafness and communication in various cultures; (5) the trend from providing charity to fostering independence in individuals with blindness; (6) mental retardation, educability, and worth; (7) body, mind, and spirit: children's physical and health impairments; (8) feared victims: dependent, neglected, disturbed, and delinquent youth; (9) children with communication and processing disorders, and (10) a synthesis of themes and a "new history" now emerging which stresses inclusion. (Contains over 500 references.) (DB)