Students' Adaptation to Task Environments in Resource Room and Regular Class Settings

Abstract

This qualitative study compared the instructional environments of a resource room and two regular classrooms for 4 students identified by their school district as severely learning disabled. Target students were observed and interviewed in each of the two classrooms where they were assigned. Teacher interview data were used to supplement narrative data from classroom observations relating to task demands and expectations, predictability, and student self-regulation. Results indicated that regular classrooms may need to provide students with LD with more explicit conceptual explanations of cognitive requirements of tasks and provide all students with more personal responsibility for learning, if students' motivation and abilities are to be maximized in integrated classrooms.