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Educating students with mild disabilities in general education classrooms: Minnesota alternatives
1University of Minnesota.
Exceptional Children
|October 1, 1990
Summary
General school improvement efforts may not benefit low-achieving students. This study found limited evidence that school effectiveness variables or integrated programs improve student outcomes, suggesting targeted interventions are needed for educational success.
Area of Science:
- Educational Psychology
- School Effectiveness Research
- Special Education
Background:
- The Minnesota Educational Effectiveness Project (MEEP) identified key school effectiveness variables.
- Previous research has explored the impact of various instructional programs on student outcomes.
- Understanding the effectiveness of integrated versus traditional 'pull-out' programs for students with mild disabilities is crucial.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the relationship between MEEP school effectiveness variables and student attitudes and achievement.
- To compare instructional programs for students with mild disabilities in integrated and 'pull-out' settings.
- To analyze differences in program characteristics and their impact on cognitive and affective student outcomes.
Main Methods:
- Two large-scale data collection efforts were conducted over successive years.
- Study 1 involved 31 schools from the Minnesota Educational Effectiveness Project.
- Study 2 compared integrated programs with conventional resource 'pull-out' programs in 11 schools, analyzing program characteristics and student outcomes.
Main Results:
- Results from Study 1 showed a complex relationship between school effectiveness variables and student outcomes.
- Study 2 found no strong evidence that integrated programs significantly outperformed 'pull-out' programs for students with mild disabilities.
- Differences in program characteristics did not consistently translate to improved cognitive or affective outcomes for students.
Conclusions:
- General school improvement initiatives may not be sufficient to enhance outcomes for low-achieving students.
- The study does not provide a strong basis for concluding that current school effectiveness strategies adequately support all student populations.
- Further research is needed to identify specific interventions that effectively improve outcomes for diverse student groups, including those with mild disabilities.