The Effects of Classroom Organization on Mainstreamed Preschool Children

Abstract

This article investigates the relationship between classroom organization and the experiences of preschool handicapped and nonhandicapped children in mainstreamed settings. Nine handicapped and nine nonhandicapped preschool children were observed in three settings that differed in grouping, supervision, and teacher direction: center time, rug time, and outdoor play. Findings indicated, as predicted, that handicapped children differed from nonhandicapped children in their classroom experiences. Handicapped children spent less time on-task, interacted more frequently with adults and less frequently with peers than did nonhandicapped children. Furthermore, handicapped and nonhandicapped children's experiences were differentially affected by the setting. Handicapped children spent less time on-task in rug time than in center time while nonhandicapped children's time on-task was similar in each setting. Handicapped children's interaction with peers was similar in all settings while nonhandicapped children interacted most frequently with peers in outdoor play. The impact of classroom organization on the integration of handicapped children is discussed.

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