Integration of students with disabilities into regular schools has come to be one of the most pervasive and controversial issues in special education. The so-called “efficacy” research is beset with methodological problems and offers no clear answer to the debate. This paper reviews influences underlying integration, presents models for its implementation, and discusses their implications for both school organization and disabled students. Some alternative approaches to research are discussed.
This paper is based on Jenkinson, J.C. School and Disability: Research and Practice in Integration. Australian Education Review No. 26 Hawthorn, Vic. Australian Council for Educational Research, 1987, and is reproduced with the permission of ACER.