Restrictive Educational Settings: Exile or Haven?

This paper reviews the educational and emotional impact of restrictive (isolated) educational settings on children who are in the lowest quartile of achievement. The basic arguments for and against separation of slower students (both those classified as handicapped and those not so classified) are reviewed and some of the more prominent legal cases discussed. Various educational settings are defined and a position is developed as to how setting operates. The main body of the paper examines the results of studies in both special and compensatory education. As a result of the extensive review, it is asserted that the variables which are important for successful student outcomes can occur in most settings, and that for ethical reasons the least restrictive environment is preferred. In summary, it is the issue of effective practices, not the setting, that deserves the attention of educators.

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