The effectiveness of traditional models of remedial education of students has been called into question. Current research supports models that would merge remedial and regular education and provide all students with broad curriculum access and the opportunity to receive instruction that is adaptive to their needs. Guidelines for addressing remediation in social studies can be generated from a review of current research. There is a clear need for a better understanding of aspects of student success and failure from psychological as well as sociological and anthropological points of view. Attention should shift from concern about the deficits of students to concern about the quality of the pupils' learning environment. This would cause remediation efforts to become part of a broad program of adaptive education for all students. Also, the importance of the context and processes of schooling would join the issue of cognitive processes in discussions of appropriate curriculum and instructional strategies to be used in teaching social studies. Increased collaboration among special needs teachers and subject area teachers to provide appropriate levels and types of instruction for all students seems to be the most appropriate path for the future. A 76-item bibliography is included. (JB)