MF01/PC01 Plus Postage.

Two studies were designed to examine the effect of school placement (specifically, mainstreamed versus self-contained classrooms) on the social development of hearing-impaired high school youth. In the first study, 85 hearing-impaired high school students (some in self-contained classrooms, and others mainstreamed) were assessed on measures of social adjustment, emotional adjustment, self-image, confusion, and integration. Results did not indicate any statistically significant differences for the social development measures. Regression analysis (used to determine if the degree of social maturity related to set, race, total hours mainstreamed, or reading level) indicated no significant relationship except for the variables of confusion and reading level. It could not be concluded that hearing-impaired Itudents in mainstreamed classrooms experience poorer or enhanced social development than do their peer