Resource Room Programs: Where are we Now?

Resource room programs are reported to be the most widely used educational service delivery system for the mildly handicapped, but there appears to be considerable variation in the ways in which the resource room model is operated. The purpose of this investigation was to survey state departments of education and the District of Columbia to determine the nationwide status of the resource room as a service delivery system and to identify characteristics of resource room programs as they were implemented during the 1982-1983 school year. A questionnaire was sent to a special education representative in each State Department of Education and the District of Columbia and a 100% response rate was obtained. The results indicated that the resource room was the most frequently used alternative to the regular education classroom setting for special education students, and the one most often used to serve the mildly-to-moderately handicapped. The amount of time that students spent in these programs varied, but most states recommended time parameters. The data also suggested that state descriptions generally failed to delineate resource room services or resource teacher responsibilities.