Opportunities Available When Severely Handicapped Students Attend Chronological Age Appropriate Regular Schools

Abstract

Article Descriptors severely handicapped students; integration; chronological age appropriate schools; least restrictive environment; parent involvement Two issues confronting those concerned with pro viding educational services to severely handicapped students are extremely important and controversial: (a) the locations in which services are provided, and (b) the nature of those services. Issues related to the loca tions in which educational and related services are pro vided and how they affect the range, quality, and substantive nature of those services are addressed in this paper. The basic position offered is that it is in the best interests of students, their families, and the public for handicapped students to attend, in accord ance with the natural proportion, special education classes in chronological age appropriate regular schools that are close to their homes. Some of the reasons given are that regular schools are inherently more accessible, they provide enhanced opportunities for maximal participation, and they are relatively cost efficient. In addition, regular schools offer more positive psychological and social working en vironments, allow provision of more acceptable related services, provide critically needed benefits to nonhand icapped students and other nonhandicapped persons, and afford benefits to severely handicapped students that would not otherwise accrue.

Comprehensive Curricula for Integrating Severely Disabled and Nondisabled Students

“…Integration efforts should be supported by teaching appropriate social skills to severely disabled students in the context of natural, integrated environments. As Brown and his colleagues have pointed out, functional objectives cannot be taught in segregated environments because segregated environments are unlike any natural environments (Brown et al, 1983).…”

Students' Perceptions of and Attitudes Toward Disabilities: A Comparison of Twenty Conditions

“…One area of particular interest concerns the social relationships between the disabled child and nondisabled peers. Previous research has shown that a child's peer group can have a profound effect on such important factors as the disabled child's self-concept (Jones, Lavine, & Shell, 1972;Waddell, 1984), psychological well-being (Brown et al, 1983), academic performance (Corman & Gottlieb, 1978), cognitive and social development (Volpe, 1976), and many other aspects of the child's life. For these reasons, it is important to gain a better understanding of nondisabled children's perceptions of and attitudes toward their disabled peers.…”

Payment Mechanisms for Community Employment: Realities and Recommendations

“…A high degree of physical and social integration can be achieved in competitive employment. Job place ments can be arranged on an individual basis and can be consistent with the concept of the natural proportion of severely disabled to nondisabled workers (Brown et al, 1983).…”