Are Peer Support Arrangements an Evidence-Based Practice? A Systematic Review

Peer support arrangements involve peers without disabilities providing academic and social support to students with severe disabilities (i.e., students eligible for their state’s alternate assessment) in general education classrooms. We conducted a systematic literature review of studies published through 2016 to determine whether peer support arrangements meet Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) criteria as an evidence-based practice. From our review of 11 studies, we found that peer support arrangements are an evidence-based practice for promoting social interactions for secondary students with severe disabilities in both core academic and elective classes. Evidence for increased academic engagement of students with severe disabilities is mixed, and evidence for other outcomes is promising—including increased academic engagement for peers who provide support. We provide recommendations for teachers.

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Peer Support Interventions in Inclusive Classrooms

Peers as Change Agents ◽

10.1093/med-psych/9780190068714.003.0012 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 137-148

Author(s):

Erik W. Carter

Keyword(s):

Peer Support ◽

Academic Engagement ◽

Severe Disabilities ◽

Learning Opportunities ◽

Inclusive Classrooms ◽

Evidence Based ◽

The Core ◽

Students With Severe Disabilities ◽

Implementation Steps ◽

Core Features

Supporting students with severe disabilities to access the myriad social and learning opportunities that exist within inclusive classrooms can be a challenge. Peer support arrangements are an evidence-based intervention for increasing social interactions and academic engagement while decreasing heavy reliance on individually assigned paraprofessionals. This chapter addresses the core features of this intervention and its anticipated outcomes. It also includes implementation steps and recommendations for intervention, as well as applications to diverse students and settings.

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Using Structural Analysis to Inform Peer Support Arrangements for High School Students With Severe Disabilities

American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities ◽

10.1352/1944-7558-123.2.119 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 123 (2) ◽

pp. 119-139 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Heartley B. Huber ◽

Erik W. Carter ◽

Sarah E. Lopano ◽

Kristen C. Stankiewicz

Keyword(s):

High School ◽

High School Students ◽

Structural Analysis ◽

General Education ◽

Peer Support ◽

Academic Engagement ◽

Severe Disabilities ◽

School Students ◽

Social Responses ◽

Students With Severe Disabilities

Abstract We examined the effects of peer support arrangements as an alternative to exclusive direct support from paraprofessionals for three high school students with severe disabilities in general education classrooms. We also explored the use of structural analysis as a data-based approach for further refining the interventions to enhance their impact in particular classrooms. Peer support arrangements were associated with substantial increases in social outcomes; academic engagement maintained or improved modestly for all participants. Moreover, structural analyses yielded findings used to adapt peer support arrangements to address students' individual needs. Although the effects of structural analysis-based adaptations resulted in increases in social responses for only one participant, levels of social interactions maintained, and improvements in academic engagement occurred for two participants.

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Efficacy of Paraeducators Facilitating Peer Support Arrangements for Elementary Students With Multiple Disabilities

Remedial and Special Education ◽

10.1177/07419325211063607 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 074193252110636

Author(s):

Kelsey J. Trausch ◽

Matthew E. Brock ◽

Eric J. Anderson

Keyword(s):

Elementary Students ◽

Secondary Students ◽

Peer Support ◽

Peer Interactions ◽

Multiple Disabilities ◽

Severe Disabilities ◽

Functional Relations ◽

Students With Severe Disabilities ◽

Student Independence ◽

The Impact

Previous findings demonstrate peer support arrangements improve academic and social outcomes for secondary students with severe disabilities, but further research is needed to determine (a) the degree to which this practice would benefit younger students, (b) the impact on student independence, and (c) how teachers can best support paraeducator implementation. In this multiple-probe-across-participants design study, a teacher trained five paraeducators to facilitate peer support arrangements with four elementary students with multiple disabilities who were eligible for alternate assessment. We identified functional relations between teacher training and paraeducator implementation and between peer support arrangements and peer interactions. Interactions increased to levels similar to those of peers without disabilities. Students decreased their reliance on paraeducators for classroom routines when peers provided support. These findings show that the effectiveness of peer support arrangements extends to elementary students with multiple disabilities and replicate initial evidence for a promising model of teacher-implemented training for paraeducators.

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Effects of a Collaborative Planning and Consultation Framework to Increase Participation of Students with Severe Disabilities in General Education Classes

Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities ◽

10.1177/1540796921992518 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 46 (1) ◽

pp. 35-52

Author(s):

Emily M. Kuntz ◽

Erik W. Carter

Keyword(s):

General Education ◽

Academic Engagement ◽

Collaborative Planning ◽

Severe Disabilities ◽

General Educators ◽

Intervention Package ◽

School Students ◽

Instructional Behaviors ◽

Students With Severe Disabilities ◽

Multiple Probe

Although many students with severe disabilities are enrolled in general education classrooms, general educators rarely receive strong training and guidance on supporting the academic and social participation of these students. A multiple probe across participants design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of a collaborative planning and consultation framework on the academic engagement of four middle school students with severe disabilities and the instructional behaviors they receive from their general educators. The intervention package increased each focus student’s academic engagement with classwide instruction and changed the types of instructional behaviors some general educators directed toward these students. Recommendations are offered for research and practice aimed at engaging general educators in the design and delivery of inclusive interventions.

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Beyond Access: Ensuring Progress in the General Education Curriculum for Students with Severe Disabilities

Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities ◽

10.1177/154079690603100405 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 31 (4) ◽

pp. 322-326 ◽

Cited By ~ 32

Author(s):

Michael L. Wehmeyer

Keyword(s):

General Education ◽

Severe Disabilities ◽

Education Curriculum ◽

General Education Curriculum ◽

Students With Severe Disabilities

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Impact of Alternate Assessment on Curricula for Students With Severe Disabilities

Assessment for Effective Intervention ◽

10.1177/15345084070320040601 ◽

2007 ◽

Vol 32 (4) ◽

pp. 244-253 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

K. Alisa Lowrey ◽

Erik Drasgow ◽

Adelle Renzaglia ◽

Laura Chezan

Keyword(s):

Severe Disabilities ◽

Alternate Assessment ◽

Students With Severe Disabilities

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Comparing Instructional Contexts of Students with and without Severe Disabilities in General Education Classrooms

Council review ◽

10.1177/001440299806400304 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 64 (3) ◽

pp. 343-358 ◽

Cited By ~ 16

Author(s):

Kent R. Logan ◽

D. Michael Malone

Keyword(s):

Special Education ◽

General Education ◽

Elementary Classrooms ◽

Severe Disabilities ◽

Group Instruction ◽

Education Students ◽

General Education Students ◽

Instructional Supports ◽

Instructional Contexts ◽

Students With Severe Disabilities

This study compared the instructional contexts of 15 students with severe disabilities who were educated in general education elementary classrooms, and 15 general education students in those same classrooms. Results suggest that (a) different instructional contexts existed for students with severe disabilities; (b) more individualized instructional supports were provided for the students with severe disabilities, including one-to-one instruction, small group instruction provided by special education staff, physical and gestural prompting, and teacher focus on the student with severe disabilities; (c) most of the more individualized supports were provided by special education staff. Implications for supporting students with severe disabilities in general education elementary classrooms are discussed.

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Involvement and Participation of Students With Severe Disabilities in SWPBIS

The Journal of Special Education ◽

10.1177/0022466918766523 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 52 (3) ◽

pp. 131-141

Author(s):

Jennifer A. Kurth ◽

Alison L. Zagona

Keyword(s):

General Education ◽

Student Outcomes ◽

Behavioral Interventions ◽

Severe Disabilities ◽

General Educators ◽

Support Needs ◽

Positive Behavioral Interventions ◽

Tier 1 ◽

Tiered System ◽

Students With Severe Disabilities

With more schools implementing Schoolwide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SWPBIS) and achieving valued student outcomes associated with these efforts, the inclusion of students with extensive and pervasive support needs (i.e., “severe” disabilities) in this tiered system must be considered. These students remain programmatically and physically separated from general education instruction and activities. Given that SWPBIS is implemented in general education settings and it is designed to support all students, the purpose of this study was to investigate SWPBIS coaches’ perceptions of the involvement of students with extensive support needs in SWPBIS processes and procedures within one state. Findings suggest the coaches believe that students with extensive support needs are physically and programmatically separated from Tier 1 SWPBIS instruction and activities, with few general educators expressing participation in facilitating their involvement. Implications and recommendations for these findings are provided.

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