Student Views of Special Placement and Their Own Special Classes: A Clarification

The School Morale Inventory was given to 341 junior high school retarded students and 717 nonretarded students in the same schools. The results revealed as many positive responses given by special class students to various questions as were given by the nonretarded. Since other investigations indicate overwhelmingly that retarded students reject special class placement, it is suggested that retarded students reject the stigma of special placement but hold many positive attitudes toward their classroom and school experiences. Also in this study, a separate analysis of responses from suburban retarded students (N=114), contrasted with those given by the inner city retarded (N=227), revealed more positive attitudes held by the surburban retarded. This finding reinforces the view that retarded students cannot be considered a homogeneous group and that the educational problems of the inner city retarded are particularly acute.