In spite of the lack of supporting research data, those responsible for education throughout Australia at both federal and state levels have released policies on integration; and there is a trend towards moving students with disabilities out of special education facilities into regular school settings. This paper reviews the findings of Australian research on integration, identifies deficiencies, and points to future directions that research might take if integration is to proceed with the backing of relevant data. A major deficiency is seen in available statistical information, so that it is difficult to estimate the real impact of integration on education systems. Although studies so far reveal some success in integration of disabled students, this depends on individual characteristics, on early educational experiences, and on the provision of support services in the school. Attitudes of school staff are generally positive towards the concept of integration, but this is conditional on the availability of adequate resources and support. Several areas for future research are identified, including longitudinal research, individual case studies, and action-based projects.
AndrewsR.J., & ElkinsJ. (1981). The Management and Education of Children with Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus (ERDC Report No. 32). Canberra: AGPS.
2.
AndrewsR.J., ElkinsJ., BerryP.B., & BurgeJ.A. (1979). A Survey of Special Education in Australia.Brisbane: University of Queensland, Schonell Education Research Centre.
3.
Australian Bureau of Statistics. (1986). Schools Australia.Canberra: ABS.
4.
BaillieM., & PreslandI. (1981). Integration of physically handicapped children in North Queensland: Survey.Australian Journal of Special Education, 3 (2), 34–41.
5.
Bank-MikkelsenN.E. (1969). Normalisation: Letting the Mentally Retarded Obtain an Existence as Close to the Normal as Possible.Washington, DC: President's Committee on Mental Retardation.
6.
BartakL., & RiisikD. (1986). Psychological and educational implications of childhood epilepsy. Paper presented to 11th International Congress of the International Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions, Paris, July 1986.
7.
BirdM. (1979). Partial integration of moderately handicapped and normal children.Primary Journal, No. 3, 26–9.
8.
BurgeJ.A. (1984). Estimating prevalence of handicapped children for planning special education services in Queensland. Masters thesis, University of Queensland, St Lucia.
9.
ButterfieldE., & GowL. (1987). Civil rights and social science answers to the question ‘How evil are normalization, deinstitutionalization, and mainstreaming?’. In BartnikE.A., LewisG.M., & O'ConnorP.A. (Eds), Technology, Resources and Consumer Outcomes for People with Intellectual Disabilities (pp. 141–54). Perth: PE Publications.
10.
CarlbergC., & KavaleK. (1980). The efficacy of special versus regular class placement for exceptional children: A meta analysis.Journal of Special Education, 14, 295–309.
11.
CenterY. (1981). The integration of mildly handicapped cerebral palsied children into normal schools. Doctoral thesis, Macquarie University, West Ryde, NSW.
12.
CenterY., & WardJ. (1987). Teachers' attitudes towards the integration of disabled children into regular classes.Exceptional Child, 34, 1–16.
13.
CenterY., WardJ., ParmenterT., & NashR. (1985). Principals' attitudes towards the integration of disabled children into regular schools.Exceptional Child, 32, 149–51.
14.
Commonwealth Schools Commission. (1985). Report of the Working Party on Special Education.Canberra: The Commission.
15.
CronkM.S. (1978). Attitude change toward trainable mentally retarded: Main-streaming in reverse. Paper presented to First World Congress on Future Special Education, Stirling, Scotland.
16.
ElkinsJ. (1985). Disability and disadvantage: Special education in Australia—past, present, and future. In PalmerI. (Ed.), Melbourne Studies in Education 1985 (pp. 163–84). Melbourne: Melbourne University Press.
17.
GottliebJ. (1981). Mainstreaming: Fulfilling the promise?American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 86, 115–26.
18.
GowL., & LyonJ. (1982). Survey of the Resource/Remedial Model in Schools in NSW and Canberra (Vols I & II). Canberra: ERDC.
19.
GowL., SnowD., BallaJ., & HallJ. (1987). Report to the Commonwealth Schools Commission on Integration in Australia.Canberra: The Commission.
20.
GowL., & WardJ.A national review of integration.Australian Journal of Remedial Education, 20, 20–4.
21.
GreshamF.M. (1982). Misguided mainstreaming: The case for social skills training with handicapped children.Exceptional Children, 48, 422–33.
22.
HallJ., & GowL. (1986). A study of attitudes of regular teachers to the role of the special education resource teacher.NSW Journal of Special Education, 6, 17–26.
23.
HayesA., & LivingstoneS. (1986). Mainstreaming in rural communities: An analysis of case studies in Queensland schools.Exceptional Child, 33, 35–48.
24.
HenryM.B. (1978). Towards Achievement and Acceptance: Classroom Studies of Mildly Intellectually Handicapped Children.Brisbane: University of Queensland, Schonell Educational Research Centre.
25.
HudsonA., & Clunies-RossG. (1984). A study of the integration of children with intellectual handicaps into regular schools.Australian & New Zealand Journal of Developmental Disabilities, 10, 165–77.
26.
JenkinsonJ.C. (1982). The Integration of Trainable Mentally Retarded Children into the Normal Classroom.Burwood: Victoria College, Institute of Special Education.
27.
JenkinsonJ.C. (1983). Correlates of sociometric status among TMR children in regular classrooms.American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 88, 332–5.
28.
JenkinsonJ.C. (1987). School and Disability: Research and Practice in Integration (Australian Education Review No. 26). Hawthorn, Vic.: ACER.
29.
LowG.T. (1981). The disabled child in an integrated setting. Masters thesis, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA.
30.
MaddenN., & SlavinR.A. (1983). Mainstreaming students with mild handicaps: Academic and social outcomes.Review of Educational Research, 53, 519–69.
31.
Ministerial Review of Educational Services for the Disabled. (1984). Integration in Victorian Education.Melbourne: Education Department of Victoria.
32.
New South Wales Teachers Federation. (1984). Survey of Special Needs.Sydney: The Federation.
33.
PieterseM., & CenterY. (1984). The integration of eight Down's Syndrome children into normal schools: A follow through of an early intervention program.Australian & New Zealand Journal of Developmental Disabilities, 10, 11–20.
34.
PowersD.A. (1983). Mainstreaming and the inservice education of teachers.Exceptional Children, 49, 432–9.
35.
TinL.G., & TeasdaleG.R. (1985). An observational study of the social adjustment of spina bifida children in integrated settings.British Journal of Educational Psychology, 55, 81–83.
36.
WangM.C., & BakerE.T. (1985–86). Mainstreaming programs: Design features and effects.Journal of Special Education, 19, 503–21.
37.
WardJ. (1982). Special education in Australia.Exceptional Child, 29, 137–48.
38.
WardJ., & CenterY. (1987). Attitudes to the integration of disabled children into regular classes: A factor analysis of functional characteristics.British Journal of Educational Psychology, 57, 221–4.
39.
WardJ., ParmenterT.R., RichesV., & HauritzM. (1978). A Survey of School Principals' Attitudes towards Service Delivery Issues for MIH Adolescents.West Ryde, NSW: Macquarie University.
40.
WattsB.H. (1975). Special education in the seventies: Promises and problems.Slow Learning Child, 22, 67–82.
41.
WattsB.H., ElkinsJ., HenryM.B., ApeltW.C., AtkinsonJ.K., & CochraneK.J. (1978). The Education of Mildly Intellectually Handicapped Children in the Eastern States of Australia: Philosophies, Practices, and Outcomes (ERDC Report No. 17). Canberra: AGPS.
42.
WestwoodP.S. (1982). Integration of Handicapped Children in South Australia (Magill Papers Vol. I, Monograph Supplement No. 1). Magill, SA: South Australian College of Advanced Education, Magill Campus.
43.
WestwoodP.S. (1985). Students with Special Needs in Secondary Schools.Adelaide: Adaptive and Remedial Education Association.
44.
WolfensbergerW. (1972). The Principle of Normalization in Human Services.Toronto: National Institute on Mental Retardation.
