Analyzed are court decisions supporting both integrated and nonintegrated placements as least restrictive environments for students with severe handicaps. Issues considered by the courts include appropriateness, exportability of services, opportunity for growth, district preferences, and alternatives for educators. Factors supporting segregated…

The Oak Park and River Forest High School (Oak Park, Illinois) Behavior Disordered Program Continuum has attempted mainstreaming of behavior-disordered students in a systematic, gradual manner. This paper describes the program, defines the role of support personnel and the unique role of the mainstream facilitator, and presents mainstreaming…

The paper examines policy issues associated with proposals by proponents of the Regular Education Initiative to reform special education practice by creating a more integrated system of general education that better serves mildly handicapped students. Additional research and policy analysis are recommended. (Author/DB)

Community-based rehabilitation for disabled people has proved to have serious shortcomings, especially in terms of vocational training. The broader concept of community integration programs involves disabled people and local institutions in training and employment efforts to integrate the disabled into normal community life. (SK)

The study evaluated a school-based integrated aerobic conditioning program for children (ages 6 to 13) with moderate to severe disabilities. Evaluation indicated that 9 of the 12 disabled students improved their level of fitness and that both disabled and nondisabled students enjoyed the program. (Author/DB)

As special needs children are integrated into regular education, new needs in teacher training have become apparent. Focusing on the United Kingdom, this paper discusses the training of special education teachers and the preservice education and inservice training of all teachers. (Author/JDD)

Research and experience tell us the benefits of integration for students with mental handicaps, but we have yet to put this knowledge into widespread practice. Appropriate educational policies and administrative support are needed to ensure successful integration of the mentally handicapped into schools. (TE)

This article describes a pilot program implemented in San Juan to keep mildly handicapped and at-risk students in mainstream classrooms by providing collaborative consultation services through a school-site team approach, using data-based instruction to measure student progress in reading and social behavior change. (Author/PB)

Learning-disabled students in mainstream settings can use guided notes to help them actively participate in notetaking, follow the sequence of lectures/discussions, and produce useful summaries of important information for future review. This article defines guided notes, describes how to develop guided notes, and offers tips to maximize their…

The Regular Education Teacher Consultant program was initiated to provide a support system to general education teachers who are teaching mainstreamed special needs students. Regular education teachers were selected as peer consultants and received training on behavioral principles, positive teaching techniques, observation codes, academic…

To meet the needs of high achieving students within regular elementary classrooms, teachers can utilize such effective practices as curriculum compacting services, students' ownership of learning, reflective teaching practices, students' choices, challenging curricula, flexible teaching, teacher collaboration, and independent student projects.…

In inclusive schools, students with disabilities are taught in regular classrooms designed to support the needs of all students. Although they are challenging for teachers and have possible adverse effects, studies show they can improve academic outcomes and socialization for disabled students, and those without disabilities benefit as well. (SK)

Various federal laws support inclusion of special needs students in agricultural education. Teaching strategies should address specific needs of various exceptionalities. Inclusion has benefits for special and regular education students as well as society. (SK)

A wildlife workshop for severely disabled students in Croydon (England) used mixed ability grouping; developed literacy, numeracy, and social skills through interesting subject matter; and uncovered the benefits of team teaching. (SK)

Two groups of teacher education faculty (23 regular and 20 special educators) were asked to predict the responses of 25 regular class teachers to a questionnaire about mainstreaming. Results indicated that faculty predictions about teacher attitudes consistently underestimated the degree of positiveness expressed by teachers toward mainstreaming.…