Public Law 94-142 was passed by Congress in 1975 and is now called the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Prior to this legislation, schools could deny education to any student whom they deemed "different." Children with mental and physical disabilities were either kept at home or sent to an institutional setting. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act opened the door for special needs children to attend school and receive the support they need to succeed. It also helped those children with learning disabilities who were previously undiagnosed and floundering in a traditional school environment.
Children with severe mental and physical handicaps are often placed in a separate setting with a much smaller teacher-to-student ratio. This allows for individual attention to the student's needs and personalized instruction according to an individualized education program created by parents, teachers and psychologists. While the law describing the rights of disabled students encourages the "least restrictive" setting, the degree of disability may dictate what is most appropriate for a child's development. In some cases, a more controlled environment is beneficial.
The term "mainstreaming" refers to placing a special needs child in a mainstream (traditional) classroom setting with children who do not have disabilities. As children get older and adapt to certain learning disabilities, they may be ready to join the larger school population and succeed without extra services. This is sometimes done with one or two classes at a time to help the student transition into a regular setting.
Inclusion is slightly different from mainstreaming because it ensures that the child with special needs is still receiving services daily. The design of the program may differ between school districts, but for the most part the special needs child is assigned to a mainstream classroom with a special education teacher as an assistant. The special education teacher often will follow a student or group of students from class to class and serve as a facilitator, helping these students succeed in a larger group setting. This may involve keeping a set of notes and handouts for each class, carrying extra supplies, helping the students maintain organization, and/or keeping the students on task during classroom activities.
The extent of a child's mental or physical handicap is the biggest factor in determining the best learning environment. In general, the "least restrictive" setting should be the goal. The concept of inclusion has provided a means for exposing the special needs child to a traditional classroom structure without losing the support system necessary for academic and social success. One main tenet of Public Law 94-142 is to ensure that all students have "services designed to meet their unique needs." Therefore, each child should be considered on an individual basis with a holistic picture created by parents, teachers, psychologists, school guidance counselors and administrators, and, when possible, the child himself.