What would schools and classrooms look like if they truly mirrored our democratic ideals? In this issue of the Occasional Papers, five authors explore current and historical questions related to the inclusion of children with disabilities in public schools. The history of educating children with disabilities--an ongoing civil rights issue--has…

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a cooperative learning (CL) intervention on the levels of social and task engagement of a child with autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) conducted in a mainstream class setting and a child with ASD implemented in a special needs class setting. The target children were two 8-year-old boys…

The article describes a social skills training group for 10 British autistic children (ages 9-16 years) which aimed to integrate them into the regular classroom. The weekly sessions were held over 4 years and followed guidelines of G. Mesibov and S. Spence. (Author/DB)

Special education teachers (n=158) of students with severe disabilities indicated that they believed that friendships between their students and nondisabled peers are possible and beneficial to both and that such friendships are more likely when students are partially mainstreamed. However, teachers felt that functional skills are better developed…

The social participation patterns of 28 young children with visual impairments (some with additional disabilities) during free-play periods was compared across specialized and integrated settings. Although no significant differences were found between settings, there were significant differences between children with and without additional…

This article discusses preliminary research results that indicate placement of children (n=216) with emotional/behavioral difficulties into a Nurture Group has a positive effect on a significant proportion of pupils. There is also evidence that the parents of children in Nurture Groups benefit from the positive progress made by their children.…

This one-page abstract summarizes results of a final report of a federally funded research project titled, "Research Integration Project: Analysis and Review of Research on Least Restrictive Environments for Handicapped Learners." The goal of the project was the review, analysis, and interpretation of research on the concept of…

Suggestions for implementing cooperative learning strategies with mildly handicapped students in mainstreamed, resource room, and self-contained classroom settings are given. Guidelines are presented for: selecting a format for cooperative learning; establishing working guidelines; forming groups; arranging the classroom; developing cooperative…

Comparison of two matched groups of seven students with severe disabilities (placed in either general education classrooms or special education classes) found that students in the general education placement interacted more frequently with nondisabled peers, provided and received more social support, and had larger networks of peers without…

This study examined the social adjustment of adolescents who were deaf and enrolled in segregated (n=39), partially integrated (n=15), and mainstreamed (n=17) settings, comparing them with a control group of students without hearing impairments (n=56). These students in grades 8 to 13 in Ontario, Canada, were administered the Social Activity…

Two studies were designed to examine the effect of school placement (specifically, mainstreamed versus self-contained classrooms) on the social development of hearing-impaired high school youth. In the first study, 85 hearing-impaired high school students (some in self-contained classrooms, and others mainstreamed) were assessed on measures of…

The article describes activities of two education guidance centers in England providing short-term help to behavior disordered students ages 3-15. Program features include classroom-based intervention, individual and group therapy, interim special class placement, and work with families. Assessment and intervention practices are summarized, and…

This study compared 13 students (grades 6 through 8) with behavior disorders who were mainstreamed part of each school day with 6 similar students not mainstreamed. Overall, the mainstreamed students had higher reading and written language scores, better work habits, and higher grades. Nonmainstreamed students demonstrated more extremes in social…

Interviews with mothers of preschool age children with established disabilities (n=230) and those classified as at-risk (n=32) were conducted, focusing on issues of children's peer relations and friendships. Mothers of children in both integrated and specialized settings perceived their respective settings as facilitating social development. Both…