Mainstreaming: fulfilling the promise?

Four assumptions that propelled the movement away from self-contained classes for EMR children and towards mainstreaming were presented. Available data were provided for each assumption that indicated the extent to which the initial assumption has been realized. Overall, the data did not indicate major improvement in the caliber of education provided to EMR children as a consequence of the mainstreaming movement. The limitations of present conceptions of mainstreaming were cited as was the possibility of a need to redefine the concept of least restrictive environment.