Parents of children with severe handicaps who attended special schools were surveyed regarding their attitudes about integrated program placements for their children. They were asked to predict the likelihood that their child would be mistreated by non-handicapped peers, isolated within the school, and would lose services if placed in an integrated program. Their responses were compared to parents of children with severe handicaps who attended integrated programs. These parents were asked to report the actual occurrence of these incidents. The results indicated significant differences in the perceptions of these two groups on all variables. Parents whose children attended special schools predicted that placement in a regular school would be a negative experience for their child. Parents of children who attended integrated programs were overwhelming positive about placement of their children in a regular school.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BrinkerR. P., & ThorpeM. E. (1984). Evaluation of the integration of severely handicapped students in regular education and community settings. Princeton, New Jersey: Educational Testing Service.
2.
CertoN., HaringN., & YorkR. (1984). Public school integration of severely handicapped students: Rationale, issues and progressive alternatives. Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.
3.
FinkW. (1979). Evaluation of the rural model program for severely handicapped students. Salem, OR: Programs for Mental Retardation and Developmental Disabilities.
4.
Gaylord-RossR., & PeckS. A. (1985). Integration efforts with students with severe mental retardation. In BrickerD. & FillerJ. (Eds.), Severe mental retardation: From theory to practice (pp. 185–207). Reston, VA: Division on Mental Retardation of the Council for Exceptional Children.
5.
HardmanM., & McDonnellJ. J. (1985). The Utah Community-Based Transition Project: A continuation proposal. Salt Lake City, UT: Department of Special Education, University of Utah.
6.
HasaziS. B., GordonL. R., & RoeC. A. (1985). Factors associated with the employment status of handicapped youth exiting high school from 1979 to 1983. Exceptional Children, 51, 455–469.
7.
JenkinsJ. R., SpeltzM. L., & OdomS. L. (1985). Integrating normal and handicapped preschoolers: Effects on child development and social interaction. Exceptional Children, 52, 7–18.
8.
McCallR. B. (1980). Fundamental statistics for psychology (3rd Ed.). New York: Harcourt-Brace-Jovanovich.
9.
NoelM. M. (1984). Securing integrated services: Four histories. In CertoN., HaringN., & YorkR. (Eds.), Public school integration of severely handicapped students: Rationale, issues, and progressive alternatives (pp. 43–64). Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.
10.
RostetterD., KowalskiR., & HunterD. (1984). Implementing the integration principle of PL 94-142. In CertoN., HaringN., & YorkR. (Eds.), Public school integration of severely handicapped students: Rationale, issues, and progressive alternatives (pp. 65–82). Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.
11.
SiegelS. (1956). Nonparametric statistics for the behavioral sciences. New York: McGraw-Hill.
12.
SpragueJ. & WilcoxB. (1985). The advocacy club: A strategy for facilitating interactions between handicapped and non-handicapped high school students. Unpublished manuscript, Specialized Training Program, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR.
13.
StetsonF. (1984). Critical factors that facilitate integration: A theory of administrative responsibility. In CertoN., HaringN., & YorkR. (Eds.), Public school integration of severely handicapped students: Rationale, issues, and progressive alternatives (pp. 65–82). Baltimore: Paul H. Brookes.
14.
U.S. Department of Education (1985). Seventh annual report to Congress on the implementation of The Education of the Handicapped Act. Washington, D.C.
15.
Utah State Office of Education (1982). Interim Study Committee report on the level funding system for handicapped children. Salt Lake City, Ut.
16.
Utah State Office of Education (1986). Education for All Handicapped Children Act: Amended annual program plan for FY 1987-89. Salt Lake City, Ut.
17.
VoeltzL. M. (1980). Children's attitudes toward handicapped peers. American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 84, 455–464.
18.
VoeltzL. M. (1982). Effects of structural interactions with severely handicapped peers on children's attitudes. American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 86, 380–390.
19.
WehmanP., SeyfarthJ., & KregelJ. (1985). Transition from school to work for individuals with severe handicaps: A follow-up study. In WehmanP. & HillJ. (Eds.), Competitive employment for persons with mental retardation: From research to practice (pp. 247–264). Richmond, VA: Rehabilitation Research and Training Center, Virginia Commonwealth University.
20.
WilcoxB., & BellamyG. T. (1985). The Oregon High School Project for severely handicapped students: Implementing state wide systems change. Final Report. Eugene, OR: Specialized Training Program, University of Oregon.
21.
WilcoxB., McDonnellJ. J., RoseH., & BellamyG. T. (1985). Integrating adolescents with severe handicaps into the public schools system. In VislieL. (Ed.), Integration of the handicapped in secondary schools (pp. 109–135). Paris, France: Centre for Educational Research and Innovation.
