In psychology, mainstreaming is the practice of integrating students with special needs into regular education classrooms:
Purpose
Mainstreaming aims to:
Provide a diverse learning environment
Promote understanding, respect, and tolerance
Ensure active interaction among students
How it works
Students with disabilities may study with their peers in general education classrooms for specific subjects or times of the day. If their skills indicate they can benefit from the lesson, they may study with their peers. Otherwise, they may be taught by a special educator in a separate classroom.
Challenges
Mainstreaming can create educational challenges for teachers. Some critics say that mainstreaming assumes that a child's limitations must be addressed before they can be integrated into a general education classroom.
Related concept
Inclusion is similar to mainstreaming, but students with disabilities are often given modified assignments and extra assistance from a special education teacher.
