In 2025, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) will have been the primary law driving the field of special education for 50 years. A contentious area of disagreement has been the relationship between two primary mandates of the law: the obligation of schools to provide a free, appropriate public education (FAPE) to eligible…

Regular and special elementary level educators completed questionnaires on specific social skills critical for success in the mainstream setting. Three general social skill areas and 15 competencies were identified. Differences between regular and special educators and primary and intermediate level teachers were identified. (Author/CL)

Results of a study involving 14 learning disabled students show that self-monitoring procedures are readily adaptable for use by learning disabled pupils in the regular classroom setting and that using self-monitoring procedures correctly is an important variable to consider when implementing them. (Author/CL)

Regular and special educators (N=334) identified the social skill competencies necessary for successful performance in secondary mainstream settings. Competencies fell into three major areas: appropriate work habits, respect for others and their property, and ability to follow school rules. (Author/CL)

Data do not support the findings of previous studies on the sociometric status of handicapped children in the regular classroom; i.e., LD children would rate significantly lower in terms of popularity than their peers who are non-LD. (Author)

The sociometric standing of 42 primary-aged learning disabled students was investigated in a sparsely populated rural area where learning disabled children were mainstreamed in an elementary school in which an "open concept" delivery of services system was in operation. (Author/SBH)

Of school districts making high use (HU) and those low use (LU) of regular class placement options, HU special education administrators were generally more positive than LU Ss about mainstreaming and placement issues. HU teachers were more positive than LU teachers on several issues, and principals as a group were dramatically more positive than…

Self-concept scores were collected on 169 elementary students who divided their school day between special classes and the educational mainstream. Results suggest that mildly handicapped children from high socioeconomic status levels who remain inadequate academically in comparison to their special-class peers have self-concepts significantly…

Extensive observational data were gathered in high school classrooms for handicapped and nonhandicapped students to establish social norms for comparision purposes, and help determine integrated placement. Significant difference in two behaviors (reading and listening/participation) were noted between the handicapped and nonhandicapped students.…

The study examined the social status of 43 elementary grade learning disabled (LD) students who, though based in special classes, joined regular classes up to 18 periods per week. Findings indicated both lower acceptance and lower rejection, suggesting that the LD students are simply not known to their regular class peers. (Author/DB)

Comparison of data from the two studies indicates that while in the regular classroom the learning disabled (LD) student may be getting mixed messages about what is or is not accepted, and may be unsure of what is the most appropriate learning style within the regular classroom. (Author)

This article explores the thinking of five junior high school teachers as they teach students with learning difficulties in inclusive classrooms. Insights into the ways these teachers think about students in these inclusive secondary school contexts were obtained through triangulating data from semistructured interviews, stimulated recall of…

Four studies in 12 urban high schools explored accommodative powers of mainstream secondary schools and effects of teachers' attitudes and student behaviors. Findings suggested that mainstream teachers recognize the low achievement of learning disabled students but do very little that is different instructionally when these students are assigned…

The purpose of the study involving 110 first graders was to determine whether learning disordered students were afforded different interactions from their regular classroom teachers than were children achieving at low, medium, or high levels. (Author/SBH)

Using current sociometric procedure in regular intermediate grade classes, the study found that mainstreamed learning-disabled children (N=57 ) were disproportionately represented in the rejected and neglected sociometric groups and underrepresented in the popular and average groups. (DB)