A Comparison of the Effects of Classroom Placement Status on the Self-Concept and Academic Achievement of Self-Contained and Mainstreamed Educable Mentally Retarded Students

This study attempted to assess the effects of academic classroom assignment on the self-concepts and spelling and arithmetic achievement of EMR students. Twenty-eight students were used representing two primary academic placement conditions, mainstreamed and self-contained. The mainstreamed group was further subdivided into those students entering special education (resource support) from a regular classroom and those entering from a self-contained classroom. It was generally hypothesized that those students in self-contained classrooms would report higher self-concepts as measured by the Piers-Harris Children's Self-Concept Scale, and spelling and arithmetic achievement, as measured by the Wide Range Achievement Test. Six specific hypotheses were generated. One was supported, the remaining 5 were rejected. The supported hypothesis revealed a significant positive relationship between self-concept and spelling achievement. This study specifically contributes to the existing body of literature in two ways. First, it offered an opportunity to assess the progress of EMR students being mainstreamed from special schools, and second, it offered an opportunity to investigate mainstreaming from two different sources -- special school (self-contained classroom) and regular classroom.