Document Type

Thesis

Date of Degree Completion

Summer 1971

Degree Name

Master of Education (MEd)

Department

Education

Committee Chair

Dohn Miller

Second Committee Member

Donald G. Goetschius

Third Committee Member

Ted Cooper

Abstract

Educational practice in the past has been to segregate exceptional children by placing them in self-contained special education classrooms. Recently, however, this method has been questioned by leading special educators. Proponents of segregation of exceptional children admit to inadequacies in the present situation, but they argue that such inadequacies can be remedied and do not justify placing exceptional children in regular classrooms. Proponents of integration maintain that exceptional children live in a heterogeneous world and as adults will live and work in a heterogeneous world; therefore, these children should have a school setting that is like the world in which they eventually will work. The Ellensburg School District, until the 1970-1971 school year, segregated exceptional children. The teachers in the system questioned this arrangement and decided to try integration or regular classroom placement for these exceptional children, with part-time placement in a resource room. With this arrangement in mind, an attempt was made to determine the advantages and disadvantages of integration. Some recommendations for improvement of such a system also were developed. This study is a survey of the Ellensburg experiment with integrated classroom placement of exceptional children. All the teachers who have children who use resource centers in the elementary schools were interviewed by means of a questionnaire. The resource teachers, principals, the psychologist, and the special education director also were interviewed.

Language

English

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