Abstract
The present article reviews studies of the efficacy of education relating to the integration of children with mental retardation into regular classrooms in the United States. The following were investigated: (1) Special education research has shifted from self-contained special education placements to placements that are integrated into regular classrooms. Special education programs for students with learning disabilities and emotional disorders have become commonplace, as opposed to programs for children who are mentally retarded. (2) With a mandate to serve, and with federal guidelines for diagnosis, services are to be provided by both special and regular education teachers on a part-time or full-time basis. (3) Models of peer tutoring for students with special needs in the regular classroom have proliferated. (4) Few reports reveal that students with special needs have been accepted by their peers in the regular classroom. (5) A new model for special education, referred to as the Regular Education Initiative (REI), has been discussed extensively for the past ten years. REI supporters call for the elimination of special classes and/or resource rooms. However, there is little evidence that special education conducted in regular classrooms achieves better results. There is a definite need for further research.
