Special Needs column, April, 2003, Vol. 45 (1), p. 18

Mainstreaming moved special education students from special education classrooms into regular education classes. Art classrooms, with little direct input, were among the first selected. Mainstreaming has been an accepted practice because the classes selected generally matched the educational needs of the students. The more recent practice of inclusion places students, full-time, in the general education classroom and has been controversial. There is little disagreement about placing students with learning disabilities or mild behavior problems in the regular class. But there is controversy about full inclusion for students in the moderate to severe range of mental retardation.

In 1993, Home Box Office took us into a Blacksburg, Virginia public elementary school and the home of a boy with Down syndrome. "Educating Peter," an award-winning documentary film, showed segments of Peter's year in a regular third grade classroom. In January, 2003, HBO did more. "Graduating Peter" finds him in high school and takes the audience through to his graduation. Peter was awarded a certificate of attendance at age twenty-two. "Graduating Peter" showed what happens when a student and the curriculum go in different directions.

Few, if any, documentaries show students with moderate or severe mental retardation in a regular education classroom. It is even more unusual to follow the student's school career until graduation at age twenty-one. HBO provided the viewing public with rare footage.Both documentaries were produced and directed by Gerardine Wurtzberg, State of the Art, Inc., Washington.

In the third grade, Peter's behavior caused problems throughout the year. In his first week, Peter is seen hitting and kicking classmates who view him with concern. One boy commented, "He had strangled me and already pulled my finger back. I didn't think I liked him." The classroom teacher expressed her concerns. "I was scared. I really didn't know that I could do this." Later, she enlisted the help of other school personnel who taught the third grade students some basic strategies in behavior modification. They would focus on Peter's positive behaviors and try to ignore his acting out.

In contrast, Peter's mother provided a different picture of Peter's behavior. "He would come home and hum, sort of a motorboat sound. We call it his happy song... He hummed and smiled for two weeks. He was so good and so happy."

Five months later, Peter's behavior problems in school had lessened. At lunchtime, the third grade girls gave him a lot of help and attention. Yet in the classroom, Peter told his teacher, "I stupid. I stupid." She described Peter as feeling "a little lost. He knew we were doing things he couldn't do, so I think he felt out of place." On the last day, Peter received an award given to students who have shown the most improvement. Peter's teacher commented that the other students "have learned to accept a child with a disability. "

The third graders and their teacher, Mrs. Stallings, showed remarkable patience throughout the documentary and should be commended for their efforts. "Educating Peter" won an Academy Award for the best Documentary Short film and has been shown and discussed in special education teacher training programs. But, one question keeps coming up. What happens to Peter when he gets older and the academic demands increase?

"Graduating Peter" answered those questions. The 90-minute documentary followed Peter through his high school years where his behavior problems continued. The academic and social divide had increased. Peter, who takes anti-depressant medication, was shown throwing food, eating paper, and sitting alone in the cafeteria. In English class, during poetry discussion, Peter copied letters of the alphabet.

Peter's mother said she was "'very disappointed about the way that his spoken language has developed." She said that he "should be able to read better than he does. His behavior interferes with his learning." At home, she helped Peter tie his shoelaces. Peter's father commented, "Progress was a lot slower than what we thought would happen."

There is long-standing disagreement and polarization in the special education community about the best school placement for students with moderate to severe mental retardation. Some feel that all students, regardless of the disability, should be placed in the general education classroom for the social benefits and "normal" role models. Others feel that the general education classroom is the wrong place because it cannot provide the functional or daily living skills curriculum for students who learn at a slower-pace. Both views are accompanied by very strong feelings. HBO has shown documentaries with direct implications for this discussion.

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