The least restrictive environment (LRE) mandate suggests a preference for educating students with disabilities in general education settings provided their needs can be met there. This study examined national trends in the educational placements of students with disabilities ages 6 to 17 in the 50 states and the District of Columbia from 1990…

Despite the continued growth of inclusive practices, an increasing number of students with disabilities are being served in alternative school settings. However, the number of students served in these settings, and the services they are receiving, remains virtually unexplored. This study reports the results of a survey of alternative schools in…

Current federal legislation holds schools accountable for ensuring that all students, including those with disabilities, make adequate yearly progress on academic achievement measures, while also including students with disabilities in general education settings whenever possible. Schools are thus expected to be both excellent and equitable in…

The focus of this study was on increasing the knowledge base on students with disabilities at the secondary level. Data were gathered on 559 classified secondary students with disabilities served in four educational options: cotaught classes, resource rooms, alternate day support programs, and no direct supports. Results indicate that there are…

Eleven school psychology and 19 special education graduate students were asked to make a placement decision for a student based on data about IQ, adaptive behavior, and academic achievement. IQ had a powerful paralyzing effect on further flexibility in problem solving. (Author/CL)

The incidence figures of handicapped children in a sample of school districts were calculated. During the 1977-78, 1978-79, and 1979-80 school years, four to five percent of the students were referred or evaluated; three percent were placed in special education programs, with wide variation in the data supplied by individual school districts.…

Procedures for identifying learning styles are described and possible cultural influences on learning styles are noted. Practical guidelines for instructional placement are suggested. (Author/DB)

Interviews with 39 classroom teachers regarding referral practices revealed disparities with federal policy regarding protections to assure fairness in the identification and placement process. Policy alternatives are posed. (CL)

Three hundred eighty-two special education teachers (N=382) listed published tests useful in making diagnostic and placement decisions. Perceived usefulness of many tests varied as a function of exceptionality and geographical region. Those tests most frequently listed were not necessarily the most psychometrically sound, but tended to be…

Fifty primary research studies of special versus regular class placement were selected for use in a meta-analysis. Special classes were found to be significantly inferior to regular class placement for students with below average IQs and significantly superior to regular classes for behaviorally disordered, emotionally disturbed, and learning…

Analysis of characteristics of classroom placements for special needs elementary school students (N=958) in five urban school districts indicated that approximately two-thirds received some instruction with regular education students. Time spent in regular education varied by the child's primary handicap, the school district, and sometimes…

Changes in academic self-concept were measured by Student's Perception of Ability Scale in 50 learning-disabled students, 18 educable mentally retarded students receiving full-time remedial placement, and 83 regular-class students. Pre-post data collected over 12-month period revealed that full-time placement was accompanied by statistically…

Issues that are central to special education and appear destined to remain so are discussed, including professional divisions among special educators and between special and regular educators, the population to be served, individualization, and placement. (JDD)

In response to Kauffman (EC 221 675), the article challenges the following: that the Regular Education Initiative (REI) is a Reagan-Bush plot to cut the costs of special education; that REI is value-driven with placement as the only consideration; and that REI is intended to do away with special education and strengthen regular education. (DB)

This study compared Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for 108 elementary grade students with mild disabilities in either resource or inclusive settings. IEPs for resource students had more service minutes, more long-range goals, used more information sources, indicated better correspondence between IEP components and student ability level,…