Will (1986) was not the only one criticizing the pull-out model of special
education in the 1980's. According to Zigmond et al. (1995), "essays on the failure of
special education had begun to proliferate, and the theme was constant: pull-out special
education was not working" (p. 532). Out of this criticism came a new initiative within
the ranks of special education that was referred to as the Regular Education Initiative
(REI). Proponents of REI cited the limited progress made by students in the pull out
model and claimed that by receiving their educational services in general education
classrooms, students with disabilities would achieve better educational outcomes.