A Study of Certain Characteristics of Successful Mainstreaming.

The placement of h and icapped students in regular classrooms (mainstreaming) as required by PL 94-142 may not be a positive experience for everyone (the h and icapped students, the nonh and icapped students, and the teachers). This study examined mainstreaming programs designated as "successful" to determine the presence or absence of characteristics recommended in the literature as necessary for successful mainstreaming programs. ERIC database and Exceptional Child Education Resources were used as sources to review the literature on successful mainstreaming. The primary characteristics which emerged during the literature search were (1) training for mainstreaming, (2) positive attitudes toward mainstreaming, (3) orientation experiences, (4) a favorable pupil-teacher ratio, (5) presence of support services, and (6) early evaluation and monitoring. A two-part questionnaire, which included these characteristics and an Attitude Toward Mainstreaming Scale (ATMS), was developed and piloted on a group of teachers who were mainstreaming in various school districts. Some items were changed and added to increase the clarity of the questionnaire. The supervisors of nine special education departments in a large school district were asked to identify successful mainstreaming programs and to indicate the criteria used in the designation of their choices. These criteria were examined to determine how many supervisors included a particular characteristic of the six characteristics that had emerged in the literature review. Questionnaires were sent to "successful" mainstreaming teachers (N = 85) and to a sample of regular teachers (N = 85) in the schools with mainstreaming programs. The mainstreaming teachers were selected by the principal of the respective school who also selected the regular teachers by a r and om process. The response rate was 75% for the mainstreaming teachers and 39% for the regular teachers. Characteristics common to the mainstreaming programs designated as "successful" were (1) positive attitudes toward mainstreaming, (2) orientation experiences, and (3) support services. Training for mainstreaming (incidence: 12%), a favorable pupil-teacher ratio (no difference from regular classrooms), and early evaluation and monitoring (37%) were all found to be below st and ards recommended in the literature.Ph.D.Special educationUniversity of Michiganhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/161213/1/8702691.pd