The Participation of Retarded Children in Junior High Academic and Nonacademic Regular Classes

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
A sociometric instrument was administered in 30 regular junior high classes to measure various aspects of the acceptance of 23 educable mentally retarded special class students participating in these classes with 1,010 nonretarded students. The retarded were found to be (a) significantly less accepted than the nonretarded, (b) equally low in the social structure of both the academic and nonacademic classes in which they participated, and (c) seemingly unaware of their low social position in regular classes. Their level of acceptance in the special class was positively related to their degree of acceptance in regular classes. A discussion of implications for educational placement and areas in need of further study concludes the article.