An examination of special education practices relative to secondary work study programs for the mentally retarded reveals sex biases in favor of the male enrollees. These biases are apparent in program admission, program offerings, and program evaluation. Both ethical and legal considerations dictate that those practices which serve to doubly handicap individuals labeled both retarded and female be eradicated. Suggestions are made for assessing and restructuring secondary work study programs in order to provide equal quality of participation for all.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AbelT.M.A study of a group of subnormal girls successfully adjusted in industry and the community. American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 1940, 43, 66–72.
2.
AtkinsonC. & MaleskaE.T.The Story of Education. New York: Chilton, 1962.
3.
BallerW.R.A study of the present social status of a group of adults who, when they were in elementary school, were classified as mentally deficient. Genetic Psychological Monographs, 1936, 18, 165–244.
4.
BobroffA.Economic adjustment of 121 adults, formerly students in classes for the mentally retardates. Exceptional Children, 1960, 26, 404–408.
5.
BolyL.F. & CassellJ.T.An exploratory on-the-job training program for the institutionalized mentally retarded. American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 1956, 61, 105–112.
6.
BurchillG.W.Work-study programs for alienated youth: A casebook. Chicago: Science Research Associates, 1962.
7.
CharlesD.C.Ability and accomplishment of persons earlier judged mentally deficient, Genetic Psychological Monographs, 1953, 47, 3–71.
8.
ChaffinJ.D.SmithJ.O., & HaringN.G.Summary: selected demonstration for the vocational training of mentally retarded youth in public high schools. Kansas City KA: University of Kansas Medical Center (RD Project 1548, Final Report, Vocational Rehabilitation Administration, United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, Division of Research Grants and Demonstrations, Washington DC), September, 1967.
9.
ChaffinJ.D.SpellmanC.R.RagenC.E. & DavisonR.Two follow-up studies of Former educable mentally retarded students from the Kansas Work Study Project. Exceptional Children, 1971, 37, 733–738.
10.
DingerJ.C.Post-school adjustment of former educable retarded pupils. Exceptional Children, 1961, 66, 353–360.
11.
DollE.E.Trends and problems in the education of the mentally retarded: 1800–1940. American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 1967, 72, 175–183.
12.
EskridgeC.S. & PartridgeD.L.Vocational rehabilitation for exceptional children through special education. Exceptional Children, 1963, 29, 452–458.
13.
FairbanksR.F.The sub-normal child—seventeen years later. Mental Hygiene, 1933, 17, 177–208.
14.
GillespieP.H. & FinkA.H.The influence of sexism on the education of handicapped children. Exceptional Children, 1974, 41, 155–162.
15.
GoldsteinH. & SeigleD.M.The Illinois plan for special education of exceptional children: A curriculum guide for teachers of the educable mentally handicapped. Danville IL: The Interstate Printers and Publishers, 1958.
16.
HeggeT.G.The occupational status of higher grade mental defectives in the armed forces. American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 1944, 49, 86–98.
17.
KokaskaC.In-school work experience: A tool for community adjustment. Mental Retardation, 1964, 2, 365–367.
18.
KolstoeOliver P.The employment evaluation and training program. American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 1960, 65, 17–31.
19.
MercerJ.R.Labelling the Mentally Retarded. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1973.
20.
MuenschG.A.A follow-up of mental defectives after eighteen years. Journal of Abnormal and Social Psychology, 1944, 39, 407–418.
21.
PeckJ.R.The Marbridge Plan: A Texas experiment in habilitation for mentally retarded youth. Exceptional Children, 1958, 24, 346–350.
22.
PetersonL. & SmithL.L.A comparison of the post-school adjustment of educable mentally retarded adults with that of adults of normal intelligence. Exceptional Children, 1960, 26, 404–408.
23.
PhelpsH.R.Postschool adjustment of mentally retarded children in selected Ohio cities. Exceptional Children, 1956, 23, 58–62.
24.
PorterR.B. & MilazzoT.C.A comparison of mentally retarded adults who attended a special class with those who attended regular school classes. Exceptional Children, 1958, 24, 410–418.
25.
SkeelsH.M. & SkodakM.Adult status of individuals who experienced early intervention. Paper presented at the 90th Annual Meeting of the American Association on Mental Deficiency, May 12, 1966.
StewartJ.Q.A.The industrial department of the Kentucky Institution for the Education and Training of Feeble-Minded Children. Proc. American Association on Mental Deficiency, 1881–1882, 236–239.
28.
SydenM.Guidelines for a cooperative work-study program for the educable mentally retarded. Mental Retardation, 1963, 1, 91–94.
