The concept of the placement of students in the least restrictive educational environment developed as a result of efforts to.

• A. Equalize educational opportunities for females and minorities
• B. Normalize the lives of those children with disabilities who were being educated in isolation from their peers.
• C. Obtain increased federal funding for the noneducational support of children living in poverty.
• D. Reduce the overall costs of educating students with special needs.

Answer: (B)

The idea being tested is inclusion of students with disabilities in general education to the greatest extent possible. The concept of the least restrictive environment grew out of efforts to normalize the lives of children with disabilities who had been educated in isolation from their peers. The aim was to provide education alongside non-disabled peers whenever appropriate, with supports and services to help participation, rather than segregating them in separate settings. Only if the general education setting cannot meet the student’s needs after those supports are provided would a more restrictive placement be used.

Other options miss the historical motivation: equalizing opportunities for females and minorities is a civil rights issue in education but not the origin of the LRE principle; increasing funding for poverty-related supports and reducing costs aren’t about the placement choice for students with disabilities.