RESEARCH A Study of the Effects of an Inclusion Model on Students with Specific Learning Disabilities

The effects of an inclusion program in Grades 2 to 5 were examined in a three-part study focusing, respectively, on the academic and affective outcomes of fifth-grade students who were normally achieving (NA) or showed specific learning disabilities (SLD); teacher and parent perceptions of SLD and NA students ' growth in an inclusion context for Grades 2 to 4; and an analysis of anecdotal records. Findings suggested that students with SLD made some academic and affective gains at a pace comparable to that of NA students; parent and teacher surveys indicated improved self-esteem in students with SLD, and, in some cases, improved motivation. Anecdotal data suggested reduced stigma for students with SLD. A significant trend in recent school reform has been the movement to serve children with learning disabilities (LD) in the general classroom as an alternative to providing services in self-contained classrooms or pull-out programs (Sailor, 1991). Such a trend is consis-tent with the intent of the Educatio