Impact of Early Programming for the Handicapped: A Follow-Up Study into the Elementary School

Abstract

Follow-up data from school records, teacher ratings, and parent ratings were obtained for a sample of 86 handicapped children who had been enrolled during 1973-1979 in a preschool program organized by the Rural Champaign County Special Education Cooperative and the University of Illinois. Results indicate that, in general, these children made a successful transition into elementary school. Only 20% were in special education classrooms and only 15% had ever been retained. For children in regular classes. Stanine scores on standardized reading tests averaged 5.03. Teacher ratings paralleled the test data with ratings slightly higher in social versus academic areas. Special education children were rated somewhat lower by their teachers. For children in both regular and special education classes, parents reported that their child was performing adequately in school, and 93% felt that their child would not have done as well in kindergarten without participating in the preschool program. Positive impact of the parent program was also noted. These data indicate that a reversed mainstreamed preschool program which provides classroom instruction based on developmental assessment of functioning can provide young handicapped children with the social and academic skills needed to perform adequately within regular elementary school classes.