School Response to Reading Failure: Instruction for Chapter 1 and Special Education Students in Grades Two, Four, and Eight

A study of 64 students in grades 2, 4, and 8 indicated that students identified as disadvantaged and participating in Chapter 1 received significantly more reading/language arts instruction in their regular education classes than mainstreamed children identified as handicapped and served through special education programs. Although the latter receive more special reading instruction than did Chapter 1 participants, the amount was not sufficient to offset the loss in the regular education program. In addition, the instruction offered in the special education program provided less direct teaching and more seat work than instruction in either the regular education or the Chapter 1 program. These results suggest that the special education programs studied did not generally enhance either the quantity or quality of reading/language arts instruction the participants received. However, the small amounts of reading/language arts instruction offered mainstreamed handicapped students must also be of concern.