Personal, idiosyncratic, geographical, and social-economic parameters are presented as a framework for understanding parental perceptions of mental retardation in Cali, Colombia. Three stages of special education development are described that define the history of the Colombian case: from a history of neglecting children with disabilities, to crossing a diagnosis-planning stage of institutional reassuring, to an emergent humanitarian acknowledgment of individuals with disabilities. Finally, a case is presented for the need to understand parental perceptions of disability in planning for the future of special education in that country.