Comments on "Assessing the Comfort Zone of Child Care Teachers in Serving Young Children with Disabilities" (Buysse and others) and discusses the social value of inclusion for young children with disabilities. Explores the use of social-validity assessment to evaluate inclusive placements and current training efforts. (CR)

Interactions between 10 elementary students with moderate/severe mental retardation and their peers and instructors were observed during physical education classes. Subjects generally interacted equally with peers with and without disabilities; when significant differences existed, the structure of the class was found to be the cause. Homogeneous…

This article traces the trend towards greater integration of students with disabilities into general education from its origins in mainstreaming to the present call for full inclusion. A review of research concludes that the necessary attitudes, accommodations, and adaptations are not yet in place for full inclusion. (Contains references.)…

A comparison of 14 Australian adolescents with mild intellectual disabilities and 13 typical adolescents found no significant differences between the groups on community usage and lifestyle patterns. The discussion promotes the inclusion of community factors when investigating community integration of adolescents with a disability. (Contains…

Following September 11, some students in a computer-assisted journalism lab in Canada made disgraceful comments based on ignorance and misinformation regarding the school's Arabic-speaking members. However, a few articles and two news reports helped change the atmosphere as students began to recognize the individuals within stereotyped groups. (TD)

Discussion of ways to promote inclusion for individuals with severe disabilities first establishes the principle of normalization, then describes conditions and practices that reflect this principle and foster inclusion across the life span. These include universal design, person-centered planning, self-determination, and positive behavior…

Describes "A World of Difference," a camp-counselor training project designed to help youth appreciate racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity. Discusses ways and importance of recruiting minority staff. Describes how training helps counselors to become comfortable with diversity, and to initiate education activities themselves. Describes…

A study of the attitudes of 821 secondary-level students in British Columbia (Canada) found that the majority supported mainstreaming of handicapped students in their classes, females were more positive than males, older students were more positive than younger students, and physical contact with handicapped students did not automatically lead to…

General and specific strategies useful in facilitating an integrated educational environment for children with severe disabilities are presented. Strategies include, among others, identifying and facilitating natural supports, using a participation approach, demonstrating success locally, recruiting collaborators, communicating with all members of…

Presents boarding schools as educationally integrative and culturally innovative. Examines historical examples of eastern Hungarian Kollegium, Institutions, England's 18th century public schools, and Israeli youth villages. Boarding schools seen as potential accelerators of change in social structure and culture. Considers schools' autonomy and…

In a study of the accuracy of Tinto's model of student attrition among 253 underprepared community college students, 4 exogenous variables (family background, precollege schooling, getting ready, and encouragement from significant others), 3 endogenous variables (initial commitment, academic integration, and social integration), and previously…

The study examined changes in attitudes of nine non-handicapped (NH) six- and seven-year-olds toward peers with severe learning difficulties (SLD) after experience of structured integration sessions over one school year. The NH children had generally maintained their positive attitudes though attitudes toward classmates thought to be "not very…

A Japanese psychologist and educator describes special education in Japan and the Movement for the Coeducation of the Handicapped with the Nonhandicapped in Neighborhood Schools. Influenced by mainstreaming policies in western countries, the Coeducation Movement calls for an end to handicapped student segregation and advocates student…

Preschool children (n=56) with mild/moderate handicaps were assigned to integrated or nonintegrated classes; social interaction was promoted in half the classes. Observation revealed a higher proportion of interactive play and higher language development in social interaction conditions, and higher ratings of social competence in the…

The status of the integration of students with mental retardation into regular schools in four European countries (Italy, West Germany, Switzerland, and England) is described, and possible variables influencing the change of systems are identified. (MSE)