Recent developments in special education have begun to produce a significant change in the population being served under the label of mild retardation. The specific factors influencing this change and the effects of the overall functional levels of students enrolled in EMR programs are examined. Data on decreasing prevalence within programs are presented. Implications are drawn for emerging group characteristics, placement and curricular decisions, and labeling relative to such programs and for concerns about noncategorical grouping. An apparent shift in the conceptualization of mild retardation underscores the discussion of each of these issues.
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