Analyses of 212 questionnaires completed by school districts with mainstreaming programs indicated that placement in the regular class did not enhance individualization of instruction for exceptional learners. Placement in the most restrictive educational environment was, however, a good predictor of individualized instruction. (CL)

The paper describes pilot work in seven classes with mainstreamed physically handicapped students and four special classes on two measures (Classroom Index of Student Needs and Classroom Index of Individualized Instruction) to describe degrees of student diversity in the classroom and of the individualized educational service provided there. The…

The paper reviews descriptions and studies of classes for children with learning disabilities (LD). Considered are aspects of regular class placement of LD students such as academic achievement and social adjustment, and attitudes of educators such as regular and special class teachers. On the basis of the review, full-time, self-contained classes…

The last 25 years of special education has seen the pendulum swing from over confidence in special class placement to current efforts to mainstream handicapped children. Characteristic of children entering school is variation in ability and learning style. Some of the children will be referred to special education not because of extreme learning…

Reading and mathematics learning activities were surveyed in eight special classes for mildly intellectually disabled children and eight regular classes with one mildly intellectually disabled child each. Children in special classes spent the most instructional time in individualized activities, whereas regular class students spent conspicuously…

Open education offers much more flexibility for mainstreaming than the traditional approach; open classrooms are designed to accommodate children in their individuality. Making adaptations is not upsetting to open classrooms. If children must go to special classes, the open school tendency toward community blurs boundaries between special and…

Presented in approximately 315 tables are statistics on the number of handicapped public school pupils in the U.S. (1970) for each of nine impairing conditions as well as numbers of schools and teachers providing special instruction. Noted is collection of data from a survey sample of 2,000 local public elementary and secondary schools…

Reviewed are research findings on special class placement for educable mentally retarded children and proposed are administrative and curricular alternatives. Research on special class placement is described as inconclusive and relying on untested assumptions. Normalization and individualization are seen as underlying principles in assigning…

Reviewed are research studies and their implications regarding mainstreaming educable mentally retarded (EMR) students. Discussed are studies dealing with topics such as the following: academic changes, learning potential status (stressing the need for individualization), emotional and social adjustment, locus of control (citing the difference…

Special education students (21 learning disabled, 12 emotionally/behaviorally disordered, 14 educable mentally retarded) and 30 nonhandicapped students were observed to identify teaching structures and tasks experienced during reading in both mainstream and special education settings. Several setting effects and a difference in the amount of time…

Provided are guidelines for the development of individualized education programs (IEPs) for handicapped, gifted, and talented children, designed to comply with the proposed Pennsylvania Special Education Standards. Chapters cover the following topics: instructional components of the IEP (including determination of present educational levels,…

To investigate procedures whereby schools may achieve maximal results with otherwise normal underachieving pupils with neurologically based language-learning disorders, 100 such subjects were studied over a 2-year period. Fifty experimental subjects remained in regular classes in school and received individualized teaching outside of school hours…

This study compared self-contained and regular classrooms for the quantity and quality of instruction provided to students classified as emotionally disturbed, learning disabled, and educable mentally retarded. The study compared 22 effectiveness indicators within 6 modifiable dimensions of instructional variables: (1) questioning style, (2)…