Knowledge Level; Mainstreaming; *Regular and Special

Abstract

The paper describes an inservice training program designed to bring together special education teachers, elementary teachers, and administrators to address the following issues: (1) attitudes toward integration of handicapped students into regular classrooms; (2) communication between regular and special educators; (3) specific skills for regular education teachers to deal more effectively with special needs students; and (4) establishment of a framework for sustained, within-building collaborative programming between regular and special educators. A total of 25 participants took part in the inservice training program, which emphasized practical strategies and was given over two weekends. Comparison with nonparticipants suggested that significant changes occurred in teacher willingness and perceivad abilitr to work with others, reported knowledge of inlividualized instruction and classroo