To determine the success of mainstreaming programs for special education students, interviews were conducted with teachers, peers, and 40 elementary, intermediate and high school students from four disability groups: blindness and partial vision, deafness and hard of hearing, orthopedic or health impairments, and mental retardation. Regular teachers learned that children learned in many different ways, some reporting an increased effectiveness as instructors. Teachers revealed a tendency to have lower expectations of special education students at first. Students reported they felt comfortable and welcome in the regular classroom and preferred it to the special class. Regular students were unanimous in expressions of acceptance. Suggestions are made to administrators for improving the special education mainstreaming program. (Author/CL)