The authors examine factors contributing to the perpetuation of the categorical approach to education for behaviorally disordered students and document problems associated with it. Factors in support of the noncategorical are presented. Selected examples of noncategorical educational programs precede recommendations concerning the facilitation of…

To evaluate suggested improvements in rural special education services, behavior disordered, learning disabled, and educable mentally handicapped students (total N=89) in grades seven through nine were compared on three measures. Instructionally relevant differences were minimal, the need for categorical resource rooms was questioned, and…