Cindy Mallory <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Deri,
>
> I agree with Bill on this issue. We placed our son in an LIU
> classroom for neurologically impaired (NI). It was to teach
> children at a slower pace, using a variety of teaching methods.
> It consisted of three grade levels and only allowed ten
> students with one teacher and an aide. An O.T. and P.T. came in
> once a week and Speech was there twice a week. It was
> considered the "Cadillac"  of services offered by the LIU per
> LIU representatives!  What a joke!!!!! My child was there for
> three years from K till second grade and then we fought to get
> him placed in regular ed last year. He had a great year
> repeating second grade to acquire all the things not taught at
> the LIU class. He has no problems with math, but money and time
> were not taught along with fractions and other important
> details. He struggled with reading and didn't learn to read
> until he entered regular ed because they actaully took the time
> and energy to teach him!  I can't tell you how many times I
> went to get my son 1/2 hour before school was over for private
> P.T., and the teacher asked if I could wait 15 minutes as she
> didn't get reading in yet! The best time to teach is in the
> morning. not the late afternoon. It was truly a babysitting
> service. The children often were playing or watching disney
> movies. When I got upset with the T.V. watching and approached
> it from my moral issues that I don't allow him to watch certain
> Disney movies, I got slammed by the classroom psychologist that
> he needed this interaction for social development. I have no
> respect for what I witnessed. They taught down to the lowest
> functioning student and this was no challenge for my son. Also,
> the class was in a regular ed building and the other children
> never played with the classroom kids, there was no interaction.
> Since my child has joined the ranks of the regular ed class, he
> has been fully accepted. Of course, that depends on the
> interaction of the teacher and the parents inviting playmates
> over to the house. Then these children have had my son over.
> All I know, my son had a successful year. He did require Title
> 1 services for reading, which he couldn't obtain at the LIU
> classroom because I was told it was double dipping. But there
> was no accountability in the LIU classroom so there was
> sothfulness and no one seemed to care but a few parents who
> ended up pulling out their children. Also the therapists
> weren't good at all either. Cindy
>
>
Hi Cindy

See my post to Bill re. Good/Bad Schools.

For very young children, mainstreaming is often a good route, but
problems can occur later. I think the ages 11 to 18 are vitally
important for CPers, and this is the age group I am largely
thinking about.

It is interesting to note (at least in the UK) that the totally
blind children still receive a segregated education, learning in
Braille in small classes, and they are one of the most successful
groups in public life. No-one is calling for "mainstreaming"
since the system seems to work well.

Cheers

--
Deri James