The study compared the adjustment to regular classes (in New Zealand) of eight 6- and 7-year-old children with Down Syndrome (DS) with that of 24 children rated by their eight teachers as being the "three least competent children in the class." The study evaluated teacher attitudes, social participation on the playground, and developmental progress. The study found teachers still uncertain about the value of integrating such children into regular classes after 1 year though their beliefs were not always supported by the data comparing the DS children with the contrast children in the areas of time on-task/disruptions, interactions with the teacher, compliance, social interaction, and affectionate behavior and mimicry. There was no support for the commonly held belief that DS children are socially isolated during unstructured time with some DS children showing a greater range of abilities when interacting with peers in unstructured situations than in the classroom. All of the DS children maintained or surpassed their previous rate of progress after 1 year although teachers gave them much more attention than contrast children. Results suggested that integration of these children can be effective but that the services of an itinerant teacher are valuable and the use of novelty encourages more peer interaction in all children. (DB)