Educational Settings for Children with Mild Mental Retardation : A Comparative Study

Abstract

In recent years, the number of pupils attending special classes for children with mental retardation has decreased. The Ministry of Education has given guidance to the prefectural boards of education to educate children with mild mental retardation in special classes. However, the number of parents and teachers who do not wish to follow this guidance has increased. These parents and teachers insist that the education of children with mild mental retardation might just as well be conducted in regular classrooms, together with the other children. The purpose of this investigation was to clarify which setting is most appropriate for the education of children with mild mental retardation, through comparing the efficacy of education in regular classes and in special classes. All subjects were chidren with mild mental retardation: 28 in regular classes in 17 elementary schools and 11 lower secondary schools, and 28 in special classes in 17 elementary schools and 11 lower secondary schools. Each of the subjects of both groups were individually administered the WISC-R, the Social-Maturity Test, and the Self-Concept Scale, and retested one year following the initial test. The results were as follows: 1) Elementary school students: On retest after one school year, the children with mild mental retardation who were in special classes scored significantly higher on the WISC-R IQ, verbal IQ (VIQ), and subtest of Similarities than those who were in regular classes. The children in special classes also scored significantly higher on the Social-Maturity Test Social Quotient (SQ) and subtest of Locomotion than did the children in regular classes. On the Self-Concept Scale, the children in special classes had significantly higher scores than those in regular classes. 2) Lower secondary school students: On retest after one school year, the children with mild mental retardation who were in special classes scored significantly higher on the WISC-R IQ and performance IQ (PIQ) than those in regular classes. The difference between the two groups on the Social-Maturity Test Social Quotient (SQ) scores was not significant. On the Self-Concept Scale, the children in special classes had significantly higher scores than those in regular classes. From the standpoint of promoting development, the results of this study support the contention that the regular classroom is not suitable for children with mild mental retardation.