MAINSTREAMING

WHEREAS, the American Federation of Teachers supports the mainstreaming process as a part of the general lifelong Learning program for all children; and

WHEREAS, legislation in various states has made it mandatory that handicapped children shall have the same educational rights as all other children; and

WHEREAS, these state laws and court decisions have resulted in massive mainstreaming without due consideration for the individual needs of students, parents, teachers, and the school communities involved; and

WHEREAS, this trend aided by federal funds will increase on all levels, regional, state and local:

RESOLVED, that the American Federation of Teachers reaffirms its advocacy view of the principle of mainstreaming and takes the following position:

• That regular and special education teachers are the backbone of any facet of the mainstreaming program and must share equally in its planning and implementation through its representative teacher organization; and

• That every area of mainstreaming shall provide a favorable learning setting for the handicapped student as well as all other students when such students are educationally involved; and

• That there be adequate preparation for regular and special education teachers, pedagogical and nonpedagogical personnel in these mainstreaming roles which must be on a voluntary basis with protection of their license and job retention rights in the area of special education; and

• That appropriate instructional supplies and materials with adequate special facilities in conjunction with resource, supportive pupil personnel services be provided for the teachers and the students; and

• That adequate additional funding for a full program be "earmarked" for mainstreaming and that such funds be used exclusively for that purpose with public trimester reporting and the accountability for funds so used; and

• That educational, sound reductions be made in class size, with up to but no more than two handicapped students in a regular class when such type of class situation is involved, scheduling and planning of alternative variations of the mainstreaming design to accommodate the shifting demands that mainstreaming creates within the collective bargaining agreement; and

• That teacher and non-teacher preparation, in service or otherwise, be under the aegis of working teachers in the area via teacher centers, teacher corps, public training institutions, etc.; and

• That state and local education agencies be accountable for delivering needed services; and

• That residential programs, diagnostic and research programs, home and hospital instructional programs, and the self-contained class are all vital parts of the Mainstreaming process and must be incorporated and given the proper foci deserved; and

• That early identification and a sound prevention program coupled with modern technological devices are reductive factors in the need for the numbers of students who will require special education services.