Data collectors reported that segregated settings differed from inclusive settings in curriculum challenge, paraeducator support style, and academic feedback/expectations¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study (3 entries) · qualitative r1–r2 · q1
Currency · newest study 2017 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q1 i? In segregated settings, children received remedial or autism-specific curricula not focused on age or grade-level content, and were reportedly not challenged developmentally. → Strain 2017 q1 i? Paraeducators in segregated settings either provided very high support discouraging independence or did paperwork, while those in inclusive settings provided cues supporting accurate, independent task completion. → Strain 2017 (2) q1 i? Teachers in segregated settings rarely praised correct academic responding or gave corrective feedback, while inclusive staff regularly gave feedback and held children to a standard of accuracy. → Strain 2017 (3)

Evidence¶

Strain 2017¶

Phillip S. Strain. (2017). Four-Year Follow-Up of Children in the LEAP Randomized Trial: Some Planned and Accidental Findings. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 37(2), 121–126. https://doi.org/10.1177/0271121417711531

q1 · i? · qualitative · r1

Qualitative interviews with study data collectors, analyzed with standard thematic methods, yielded a curriculum theme: segregated settings used remedial or "autism" curricula "not focused on age or grade-level academic content", mimicking preschool content, with no homework reported.

"These curricula, for the most part, were not focused on age or grade-level academic content and in many ways actually mimicked content that children were exposed to at preschool (e.g., shapes, object names, colors, etc.)."

Strain 2017 (2)¶

Phillip S. Strain. (2017). Four-Year Follow-Up of Children in the LEAP Randomized Trial: Some Planned and Accidental Findings. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 37(2), 121–126. https://doi.org/10.1177/0271121417711531

q1 · i? · qualitative · r1

The same interviews produced a paraeducator-support theme: in segregated contexts paraeducators either gave "extremely high levels of support" discouraging independence or did paperwork, whereas inclusive-setting paraeducators provided cues so children completed tasks accurately and independently.

"in inclusive settings, paraeducators were regularly seen assisting children with academic assignments and particularly providing additional cues (e.g., models, partial physical prompts, prompts to peers) such that children completed tasks accurately and as independently as possible."

Strain 2017 (3)¶

Phillip S. Strain. (2017). Four-Year Follow-Up of Children in the LEAP Randomized Trial: Some Planned and Accidental Findings. Topics in Early Childhood Special Education, 37(2), 121–126. https://doi.org/10.1177/0271121417711531

q1 · i? · qualitative · r2

A third interview theme concerned high expectations: in segregated settings teachers rarely recognized or praised correct preacademic/academic responding and seldom gave corrective feedback, while inclusive staff "regularly gave children feedback on their class work" and held all children to a standard of accuracy.

"In inclusive settings, teaching staff regularly gave children feedback on their class work, grading activities, suggesting correct answers, and gener- ally holding all children to a standard of accuracy."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Among CARS-matched pairs, children placed in inclusive kindergartens significantly outperformed peers in segregated settings on achievement, language, cognition, adaptive behavior, autism symptoms, and prosocial skills four years later — related
• Fully inclusive classrooms scored higher than less inclusive classrooms on observed peer membership and classroom climate — related
• Intensive remediation alone will not meet students' needs and, if segregating and stigmatizing, can deepen inequality and trauma — a broader claim this one bears on
• Teachers provided targeted extra support, immediate feedback, and reinforcers to learners with DD — related
• Prompting a learning disability shifts feedback toward word- and sentence-level remediation, simplified vocabulary, and lowered expectations — related