A meta-analysis was performed on 11 empirical studies of the effects of mainstreaming. Results indicated that mainstreamed disabled students consistently outperformed nonmainstreamed students with comparable special education classifications. The most success was found in programs with design features (such as continuous assessment) suggested by…

Interviewing was used to document perspectives of deaf children, their parents, teachers, and administrators on mainstreaming. Data revealed different, and sometimes competing, priorities of mainstreaming participants. (Author/CL)

The authors examine views that mild mentally retarded students in many cases are receiving instruction which is not relevant to their needs. An ecosystem approach, which examines the needs of individuals from a perspective of probable functioning environments, is called for. (Author/MT)

Fifteen mentally retarded adults living in group home and intermediate group residences (IGR) were interviewed. All participants spent majority of their time in their homes. Men played a more active role in their integration than did women. IGR men and women went less often into the community and rarely (IGR men) or never (IGR women) went out…

Describes an eight-topic inservice program to help teachers facilitate the integration of mainstreamed students into the regular classroom. The program covers the nature of the disability, its effect on the classroom, techniques for meeting the student's needs and preparing the student's classmates, and sources for support material. (PGD)

Attitudes and readiness for integration by administrators and teachers and parents of special and regular education students are critical to the success of mainstreaming efforts. Addition of teacher aides to lower the student-teacher ratio is also important, as is the existence of effective resource room programs. (CL)

Hearing impaired students who are mainstreamed often encounter problems in dealing with the usual flow of classroom communication. To examine the effect of action zone phenomenon, six mainstreamed classes were observed and coded for location of student-teacher interactions. Results and discussion are presented. (Author/DF)

Elements of cooperation learning and the specific actions for implementing it are presented, including positive interdependence, individual accountability, collaborative skills, and group processing. Effects on relationships between disabled and nondisabled students are summarized. The teacher's role in implementing cooperative learning is…

Presents an outline of a number of curriculum modifications and adaptations that can be relatively simple to implement at the middle school level in order to individualize instruction in mainstreamed classrooms. (FL)

Specialization of training experiences for teachers of the mildly handicapped has led to a certain amount of curricular and faculty isolation. An argument for unifying teacher preparation by integrating special education for the mildly handicapped with general teacher education is offered. (DF)

A teacher's attitude toward mainstreaming and disabled students has a great effect on the success of an educational program. Attitudes can be modified through training experiences. Suggested readings for use in teacher preparation courses are listed. (DF)

The attitudes of preservice teachers toward mainstreaming disabled students were investigated before and after special education classroom experience. Results are discussed. (DF)

Using an attudinal scale which assessed three dimensions thought to underlie attitudes toward mainstreaming, teachers, nurses, and other noneducators were scored before and following a course on exceptional children. Pre- and posttest scores demonstrated significant shifts to a more positive orientation, suggesting that information can form a…

The writer, a former federal official, reviews national policy developments regarding the effectiveness of P.L. 94-142, the Education for All Handicapped Children Act. He cites findings from a survey of five school districts which found difficulties with implementation of the least restrictive environment principle and the broadened definition of…

Disabled Student Services Director, Alfred H. DeGraff, tells how Boston University's programs and facilities are providing independence for disabled persons. (MLF)