Author: David Coursen

Publisher:

Published: 1981

Total Pages: 32

ISBN-13: 9780865520769

The Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 requires mainstreaming, or the education of handicapped children with regular students, to the greatest extent appropriate. Although the provisions of the law call for each student to be assessed individually and provided with an Individualized Education Program (IEP), the costs associated with these requirements too often encourage schools to fit the children into programs that are designed to handle categories of disability rather than individual learning needs. Flexible, specific IEPs planned in collaboration with parents should be part of clearly defined, goal-oriented school programs. Support and leadership from administrators is a key to the success of mainstreaming. Administrators should be concerned with establishing good communications, developing mainstreaming skills through staff development programs, modeling and encouraging an attitude of respect and acceptance toward the disabled, fostering participation in planning by all affected, and informing themselves of the options available for making school services and facilities suitable for mainstreaming. (Author/PGD)