Mainstreaming AS A Solution
...n the "least restrictive environment," absence of a legal definition of mainstreaming makes it almost impossible to control the degree to which a handicapped child will be integrated with non-handicapped peers. Labeling is one of the biggest problems of separae special education programs. According to Gary Adkins, author of "Educating the Handicapped in the Regular Classroom," the four most common lables--learning disabled, speech/language impaired, mentally handicapped, and emotionally disturded--cover 95 percent of all students classified as handicapped. Recent follow-up studies of handicapped high school graduates have given rise to serious concerns over the ability of public school special education programs to prepare handicapped learners for competitive employment and community integration. Now, intergrated settings offer a glimmer of hope. Many have proven successful in preparing severely handic...