IDEA, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, is a law that cuts both ways. By mandating that students with special needs be given an appropriate education in the least restrictive environment in which they can succeed, the law recognizes both the desirability of students achieving success within or near the mainstream and the fact that for some students an education outside the mainstream will be more fruitful.
Consider, also, the range of emotional functioning and the ability of students to be self-regulated. Expecting all students to function within certain “normal” limits does not benefit anyone. Students with greater emotional needs are best served in settings that offer them the level of support they need. A student-centered approach in this case would involve providing the dysregulated student with a setting that has the knowledge and resources to effectively program for his or her needs.
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