An hypothesis supporting placement of students with emotional or behavioral disorders in regular classes and schools is that they will imitate the appropriate behavior of nondisabled peer models. We discuss findings of research on observational learning, including research regarding model characteristics and the observers' responses, vicarious reinforcement as implicit punishment, direction and duration of vicarious effects, vicarious effects on students with problem behavior, observers' other characteristics and vicarious effects, and aggression and vicarious processes. We conclude that placement in regular classes is not sufficient to ensure the imitation of appropriate peer models, that imitation of appropriate behavioral models is possible in special classes and schools, and that substantial changes in regular classes would be required to induce the desired imitation of nondisabled peers.
Special education reformers suggest that all students with disabilities-including those with emotional or behavioral disorders-should be placed in their neighborhood schools and in regular classes(e.g., Gartner 8c Lipsky, 1989; Laski, 1991; S. Stainback & W. Stainback, 1980; W. Stainback & S. Stainback, 1991). Others have argued that regular class placement creates particular problems for many students with emotional or behavioral disorders and is neither always feasible nor always desirable (e.g., Braaten, Kauffman, Braaten, Polsgrove, 8c Nelson, 1988; Kauffman, 1993c; Kauffman, Lloyd, Baker, 8c Riedel, in press; Walker 8c Bullis, 1991). Research to date on the effects of placement has been inadequate and has yielded ambiguous findings along many dimensions (Martin, Hallenbeck, Kauffman, 8c Lloyd, 1995) or has suggested that including students with emotional or behavioral disorders in regular classes for purposes of improving their social skills or status is particularly difficult and not always successful (Clarke, O c 70 z > CD no m Q > im O c n o z < o rto ^O Z O ^£5 (continued) H X m o c 70 -o m n > rm D C n O z < O z o