Surviving in the regular classroom: A follow-up of mainstreamed children with learning disabilities

Twenty elementary-age children diagnosed as learning disabled were assessed for academic progress prior to their enrollment in a special learning disability program, at the end of that special L.D. enrollment and 1 year later, after mainstreaming into a regular classroom. Results indicated that learning gains in reading and mathematics during the mainstreamed year were comparable to learning gains found during the year of enrollment in the special L.D. program. However, a significant decrease in gains in the area of spelling was found for the mainstreamed year as compared to the prior year's enrollment in the special L.D. program. It was concluded that regular classroom instruction alone may be insufficient for mainstreamed children with learning disabilities and that supplemental programming seems necessary if prior rates of academic learning are to be maintained.