Abstract

This research has dealt in investigating the differences between children with special needs whoare integrated into regular classes with children with special needs learning in closed special educationclasses, regarding the extent of improvement in their achievements in reading comprehension andmathematics, as well as social involvement. Twenty-nine students from the 2nd and 3rd grades participatedin the research (average age: 8.4 years and deviation from the norm: 0.6), all defined as students ofspecial education, 14 of whom were in the 2nd grade (48%) and 15 of whom were in the third grade (52%).Some of the students were integrated into a parent class and others learned the basic subjects of readingcomprehension and mathematics in a special closed class, though the division was not uniformthroughout the entire research. Ten teachers also participated in the study – 6 regular teachers and 4teachers of special education, 1 of whom teaches the special education class and 3 of whom teach theintegrated students. Data were collected using three types of tools: a questionnaire open to teachers of regular education toexamine their attitudes and perceptions about the differences between the educational frameworks ofthese terms of meeting the needs of children with special needs and in terms of achievement in readingcomprehension and arithmetic and the integration of social, questionnaire open to teachers of specialeducation to examine their attitudes and perceptions about differences between educational frameworksof these terms of addressing the needs of children with special needs and in terms of achievement inreading comprehension and arithmetic and their integration into the social and interviews are open tostudents in grades 2 and 3 students in two frames above questions dealt with preference learningframework, variance and degree of satisfaction of the student teaching framework where he is now.Research findings pointed to the fact that the presence of students in an integrated class helps themadvance in their own capabilities, in their social involvement and in their scholastic achievements. Theassistance and support that the students received in the integrated classes from the staff of teachers – bothof regular education and of special education – improves their scholastic achievements. It should be noted that the students expressed their desire to be integrated and continue learning in theclass with other students, and not to leave the class – in order to avoid the negative stigma associated withleaving the class to learn with teachers of special education. The study shows that there is great importance to the extent of cooperation between teachers of specialeducation. and teachers of regular education. The greater the cooperation, the greater the students’achievements and social involvement. We recommend integrating more subjects for the students andorganizing advanced courses in schools on the topic of staff work, in order to discuss importantpedagogical issues to solve problems and make decisions. It is suggested that a continued research bemade in which the population of students can be expanded to include students from higher classes inschools and to integrate the parents as well. The parents’ opinions and cooperation with them will enablethe school to form a clear policy in dealing with the topic of advancement of children with special needs.