A Collaborative Model for Students with Mild Disabilities in Middle Schools

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1990 (PL 101-476) and implementing regulations are responsible for shifting students with disabilities from one educational setting to another. Earlier efforts had been aimed at serving students with disabilities in special programs as a part of the public schools but not necessarily with general education students. This was followed by a movement to establish all programs for special students on the general education campus. Educators also identified and classified more students with mild disabilities and moved them from regular classes into special education resource classrooms. Approximately 15 years elapsed before Americans came to understand that what is really needed for many students with disabilities is to place them back into a more normalized regular classroom setting and educate them with their nondisabled peers.