Rate as a Measure of Academic Success for Mildly Handicapped Students

In large numbers, students variously categorized as learning disabled, behavior disordered, or mentally retarded, are being educated in the "least restrictive environment" (LRE). The article examines the relationship between carrying out instruction in the LRE and traditional versus contemporary assessment practices. It is shown that the selection of performance measures, i.e., measures of frequency, percent, or rate of academic responding, should be linked ot the learning stage of the student(s), i.e., acquisition to proficiency. An argument is made for wider use of rate measures and establish peer-referenced standards for guiding decisions regarding functional performance criteria. Impliactions for the increased use of rate standards within and across special and mainstream classroom settings are discussed.