Social Interaction and Acceptance of Mildly Retarded Children in a Mainstream Special Educational Setting

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Abstract
The social acceptance (by non-handicapped children) and classroom and playground social behaviour of the five former special class pupils was studied. Six months prior to the study the pupils had been transferred to an experimental mainstream special educational programme within the same school. At the time of the study, the mainstreamed children were all maintaining or surpassing the rates of academic progress they had shown in the special class and they were well accepted by their classmates. Their social behaviour during unstructured classroom and playground activities closely approximated that of their classmates, but in the case of playground activities differed markedly from that of pupils who had remained in the special class. The results indicate that mainstream special educational facilities can work effectively — i.e., academically and socially, for at least some mildly retarded children. Where resources permit and the support of regular class teachers is available, there would appear to be some advantages for the children concerned.

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