Thirty hearing college students were interviewed to assess their perceptions of deaf students as classmates and influences of these perceptions on campus integration efforts. Hearing students felt that deaf students had similar academic competencies but were less competent socially. Full integration, especially social integration, did not occur.…

This survey of 206 parents, 217 regular educators, and 124 special educators examined the status of integration of special needs students into public schools of Victoria (British Columbia, Canada). Respondents generally felt that integration is of benefit to special needs students and regular students, with a gradient of perceived benefits…

The Spokane (Washington) Public School District behavior-impaired program is dedicated to providing a safe, nurturing learning environment where defined boundaries, clear expectations, and consistency foster mutual respect, social appropriateness, and trust. The program's success requires faculty and administrator support of mainstreaming…

Hank Levin's educational vision is to accelerate learning of disadvantaged children and bring at-risk students into academic mainstream by end of their elementary school years. Levin believes that, if educators exposed all children to richest experiences and also connected with children's own experiences, their culture, and their community,…

Discusses factors, such as the development of discrete groups, the labeling process, and the emphasis on the care role of special education teachers, that hinder integration of students with special needs into the further education program in England and Wales. Suggests strategies to overcome these impediments. (JOW)

A discriminant analysis of characteristics of students with behavioral disorders in three progressively more intensive placements indicated that age at time of diagnosis was the strongest discriminating variable contributing to placement outcomes. Younger, brighter students tended to be mainstreamed, and older students with more externalizing…

Characteristics of individualized education programs (IEPs) of 46 mainstreamed students with multiple disabilities from 9 states were analyzed, revealing that IEPs are vague and inconsistent, list goals for staff rather than for students, and are discipline-referenced. The study recommends that IEPs include individualized learning outcomes,…

This article presents the results of a survey of elementary teachers (n=22) who used cluster grouping of gifted students within regular classrooms. Findings indicated general acceptance of clustering and that gifted students benefited from this provision. (DB)

A two-dimensional framework consisting of knowledge forms and intellectual operations was used to analyze curriculum materials, teacher-mediated instruction, and student use of information on essay and traditional criterion-referenced measures in two sixth-grade general science classes. Results suggest low-achieving students may need more exposure…

This article discusses the use of sign language to facilitate language development of children with developmental disabilities mainstreamed into the early childhood setting. It discusses the benefits of using sign language, presents a rationale for its use, and provides instructional guidelines and resources. (JDD)

Although research is limited, the available studies consistently indicate that inclusion does not harm nondisabled students. A literature review disclosed five positive themes: reduced fear of human differences, accompanied by increased comfort and awareness; growth in social cognition; improvements in self-concept; development of personal moral…

The Content Mastery program, which evolved from the synergistic model, provides instructional accommodations and teacher consultation and support that encourage the success of students with learning disabilities in regular classroom settings. Students remain in mainstream classes as long as they can profit from instruction and attend the Content…

Two letters from German educators respond to an article by Carola Murray-Seegert (EC 602 675) on mainstreaming of people with disabilities in Germany. The letters, in both the original German and English translation, basically support the article's premises and urge increasing efforts toward integration of the disabled in Germany. (DB)

Studies 54 children with hearing loss using the hypothesis that children with hearing loss who learn standard language through using their hearing will learn to read in the same predictable ways as children with normal hearing. Finds that hearing losses do not make the normal acquisition of reading impossible. (MG)

To accommodate its moderately and severely handicapped students, the Saline (Michigan) Schools developed an inclusive community model requiring age-appropriate placement, integrated delivery of educational and related services, social integration, transition planning, community-based training, curricular expectations, systematic data-based…