Preventive mainstreaming: impact of a supportive services program on pupils.

Abstract

Although there are many reasons for maintaining exceptional children within the mainstream of public education, there is little empirical data directly supporting the rationale of mainstreaming. The present investigation evaluated the effects of a support teacher program in maintaining exceptional and potentially exceptional children within the regular school program. Program effectiveness was evaluated in terms of achievement score changes and frequency of referrals for traditional special services. First graders from 20 schools distributed across five school systems in Tennessee served as subjects. Low IQ (range 50–99, N=333), middle IQ (range 91–104, N=357), and high IQ (range 105–139, N=388) subjects differed significantly in achievement score changes as a function of the availability of support teachers to the classroom teacher. In addition, significantly more control school pupils were referred by their teachers for psychological services the following year. The results are discussed in terms of empirical support for the mainstreaming concept.