As mechanical ventilation becomes more portable and home nursing care more available, children who rely on ventilators for life support are leaving hospitals and returning to their homes and schools. The authors surveyed 77 families during 1990–1991 to obtain information on the educational placements of these children and parental satisfaction with services. Interviews were conducted with a subsample of 22 families with differing levels of satisfaction and advocacy. Results suggest that barriers to the integration of these children into school-based programs are attitudinal more than technological. Parent satisfaction with services increased with the number of years the student was placed in school.
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