The Merging Categories: Appropriate Education or Administrative Convenience?

Abstract

The trend to include mildly mentally retarded, emotionally disturbed (behavior disordered), and learning disabled children in the same generic category and in the same school programs is increasing. The position taken here is that this trend represents an avoidance of the difficulties of diagnosis and programming. The author believes that the noncategorical trend in special education can endanger the appropriate education of many children, and that convenience must not replace education of children with diverse conditions and needs.