This paper addresses the participation of students with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) in mainstream schools. There are different benefits for ASD students to be educated in an inclusive environment (Gena, 2006; Whitaker, 2004). They challenge the school community by presenting difficulties in essential domains for school activities (Chamberlain,…

The Pegasus Project offered nine gifted hearing impaired students (11-15 years old) a summer enrichment experience with hearing peers. Courses included computer programming, literature, fine arts, physical and biological sciences, math enrichment, and sign language. All hearing impaired students also attended a special class on issues for the…

A questionnaire was administered to 50 gifted children (9 to 12 years old) to determine how students feel about the mildly retarded in a classroom setting. Based on the responses to the 10 questions, there seemed to be a very high belief that mildly retarded children will be socially accepted by their peers. The gifted group did not view the…

Thirty-three teacher behaviors previously identified as characteristic of teachers effective with mainstreamed students were examined for their effects on peer acceptance of the mainstreamed students. Elementary teachers (N=118) participated. Classroom observations were recorded and a group test of peer acceptance was administered. Correlational…

The changing role of the psychologist in an institution for handicapped children is discussed. Adaptation of tests, selection of instruments, and the importance of interview techniques are considered in a section on assessment. Programing aspects, including dealing with stereotyping behaviors and self abuse and helping teachers locate resources,…

A public school in Brooklyn, New York, has developed a system in which handicapped children are integrated into the life of the school. Special education classes are paired with nonhandicapped classes. They share a variety of activities, including presenting assembly programs or plays, going on joint field trips, and sharing appropriate physical…

Presented is the case history and interdisciplinary approach used with a partially sighted 8-year-old girl including vision training, large print instruction, and regular class placement. The viewpoints of the optometrist, the child's parents, the educational consultant, the principal, the regular classroom teacher, and a resource room teacher are…

The paper describes three strategies featuring a microcomputer to promote the integration and acceptance of students with disabilities among their nondisabled peers. The first strategy is a cross-age tutoring program in which disabled, learning disabled, emotionally disabled, or mildly retarded students demonstrate computer use to nondisabled…

One hundred and sixty-eight elementary students with and without handicapping conditions participated in a study to determine the social integration of students with mild to moderate disabilities who are academically mainstreamed for at least one period daily. Ss were asked to photograph what they considered illustrative of their schools. A…

The study examined the effects of training 209 regular class elementary school students and their 12 emotionally disturbed classmates about handicapping conditions. Investigated were normal students' attitudes toward emotionally disturbed students, and the self esteem of emotionally disturbed students. Data gathered prior to and at the conclusion…

The peer acceptance and self perceived status of 16 elementary grade students with moderate, severe and profound hearing impairments enrolled in regular public school classrooms were examined. Eleven Ss comprised a longitudinal sample and were in the fourth, fifth, and sixth grade at the time of the follow-up study; five Ss were in first grade.…

The paper explores the issue of mainstreaming and reviews some of the literature relevant to the educational environment of mentally handicapped children. Various viewpoints such as ambiguous efficacy results, effects on self-concept, lack of mainstream services, rejection of retarded children by normal peers, and racial segregation in special…

The author considers research relating to what is presently known about the social interactions between nonhandicapped and special students in integrated environments. Explored are the effects of attitude formation and goal structure of the education institution on the relationship between handicapped and nonhandicapped peers. Suggested is a…

Classroom and playground behaviors of 95 integrated mildly intellectually handicapped and mildly disabled students were compared with those of 95 nonhandicapped, age- and sex-matched regular class students. All subjects attended state government primary schools and were between 8 and 13 years of age. Subjects' behavior was observed in the…

An assessment was made of change in attitude toward trainable mentally retarded (TMR) students of 42 adults (members of the PTA Board and teachers of the experimental groups) and 127 children (in first, third, and sixth grades) as a result of special instruction and an integrated program. Regular class students in small groups were systematically…