A questionnaire was administered to elementary-school regular class teachers to determine their attitudes and needs in regard to mainstreaming the exceptional child. The questionnaire was designed to elicit teachers' attitudes and their perceptions of time, materials, skills, support services, and training needs in relation to teaching mainstreamed exceptional children in their classroom. The secondary purpose of the study was to determine whether locale, educational degree, or teaching level affect those perceptions. Results indicated that teachers evidenced unfavorable attitudes towards mainstreaming. They believed that they did not have the time, support services, or training necessary to teach exceptional children in their classroom effectively. It was speculated that with additional training, teachers would have the necessary skills to competently participate in a mainstreaming program. Locale, educational degree, and teaching level did not differentially affect teachers' attitudes and needs.

PL 94–142 specifies that schools are required to develop an Individual Educational Program (I.E.P.) for every handicapped child before services are provided. PL 94–142 does not, however specify how the I.E.P. is to be developed and implemented. This paper presents a comprehensive, step-by-step procedure for the I.E.P. The authors provide sample forms for all development and implementatin phases of the I.E.P. as well as suggestions for using the I.E.P. as an effective educational management tool for learning disabled youth.

Equivalent forms of a questionnaire were administered to elementary classroom and resource room teachers. The questionnaires were designed to elicit teachers' attitudes and perceptions as to the effectiveness and appropriateness of mainstreaming, regular classroom teachers' level of skill competency, assistance from the resource room, and communication between the resource room and regular classroom teachers. Results indicated that resource and regular teachers evidenced differential perceptions as to all factors investigated. Educational implications of the findings were discussed and specific recommendations were proposed.Recent litigation and legislation at the state and national level require that handicapped students receive a free education commensurate with their needs, and, where appropriate, be educated with their nonhandicapped peers. Such goals necessitate that the majority of students presently labeled handicapped receive their education within the mainstream of the regular school program. Because these children exhibit a diverse and unique range of problems, their education and remediation require the combined resources and energies of both special and regular educators. Consequently, if the mainstreaming effort is to be facilitated, educational personnel must work together harmoniously.Although few have questioned the philosophical and humanitarian goals underlying integration, empirical evidence directly supporting the mainstreaming rationale is not substantial (Keogh & Levitt, 1976). Despite this fact, and because of the legislative pressure of PL 94-142 and recent court decisions, mainstreaming programs have mushroomed in schools across the nation. Unfortunately, the quality of many of these programs is unknown. It would be naive to assume that legislative action and legal decisions will insure the development and implementation of appropriate mainstreaming programs.The success of integration is, in part, contingent upon the attitudes of the individuals directly or indirectly involved. Of primary importance is the willingness of regular and special educators to accomodate the mainstreaming principle. In a recent study, Hudson, Graham, and Warner (1979) found that regular classroom teachers were not supportive of the mainstreaming concept. Teachers believed that they did not have the time, support services, or necessary training to effectively teach handicapped learners in their classroom. Class size, inaccessibility of materials, time restraints, and the unavailability of immediate and long-term support services were related to unfavorable attitudes.One aspect of the Hudson, et al. (1979) study that bears further investigation involves the unavailability of immediate and long-term support services. If adequate support services are insufficient or not available, the likelihood of providing a mainstreamed handicapped learner with an appropriate education is greatly diminished. Furthermore, Based in part on a Master's Thesis completed at the University of Kansas by Judy Lockwood. 128

A questionnaire was administered pre and post-test to 154 regular classroom teachers enrolled either in an in service program or in university courses designed to prepare regular classroom teachers to teach handicapped children mainstreamed into their classes. The questionnaire explored the teachers' beliefs and perceptions about mainstreaming in the areas of teaching skills, time available to teach handicapped children, attitudes toward mainstreaming, availability of materials, support services, and need for additional training. Both the inservice and university courses produced significant changes in the participants' responses on the questionnaire. Significant changes were found on the total test and in the variables of skills, time, attitudes, materials, and services.

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