Academic and social attainments of children with mental retardation in general education and special education settings

Parents, professionals, and researchers have been concerned about the most appropriate placement for children with mental retardation. To shed light o n the efficacy of integration, 36 studies were reviewed on the academic and social attainments of school-age children with mental retardation. Results show that children in general education classes do not attain social accep tance ratings at as high a level as do their typically developing peers. Wh en comparing children with mental retardation in general education and spec ial education classrooms, integrated students perform better than their com parable segregated students on measures of academic achievement and social competence. Other variables are discussed that might affect child outcomes, and related recommendations are given for future research.