Peer Interactions and Social Acceptance of Elementary-Age Children with Severe Disabilities in an Inclusive School

1992 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 205-212 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ian M. Evans ◽  
Christine L. Salisbury ◽  
Mary M. Palombaro ◽  
Jennifer Berryman ◽  
Tia M. Hollowood
Keyword(s):  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Social Acceptance ◽  
Peer Interactions ◽  
Severe Disabilities ◽  
School Year ◽  
The Social ◽  
Physical Affection ◽  
Inclusive School ◽  
Developmental Opportunities ◽  
Students With Severe Disabilities

Although there has been much attention paid to the social relationships of students with severe disabilities in integrated environments, few studies depict the kinds of interactions that can be expected in mainstreamed classrooms. Such information is important for designing classroom ecologies and interventions that will maximize developmental opportunities for all students. Eight children with severe disabilities and eight nonhandicapped peers were observed in their regular elementary school classrooms. Students with severe disabilities received more social approaches than they made. These interactions tended to be receiving assistance, although talk, play, and physical affection were also prevalent. Over the school year the number of interactions declined; however, the pattern (proportions of different types of interaction) became more typical (like those of nonhandicapped peers). Acceptance was measured by sociometric nomination, revealing that some of the students with severe disabilities were very popular, and some were not. Acceptance seemed unrelated to social competence, which did correlate with frequency of interactions initiated by the students with disabilities; acceptance was not related to number of social approaches made or received. The results indicate that children's social acceptance and opportunity for interaction are not uniquely associated with their status as individuals with severe disabilities, and suggest that the implicit standards and values of the students may play a significant role.

Increasing Peer Interactions for Students with Severe Disabilities via Paraprofessional Training

2005 ◽  
Vol 71 (4) ◽  
pp. 431-444 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julie N. Causton-Theoharis ◽  
Kimber W. Malmgren
Keyword(s):  
General Education ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Peer Interactions ◽  
Severe Disabilities ◽  
Multiple Baseline ◽  
Single Subject ◽  
Single Subject Design ◽  
Paraprofessional Training ◽  
The Social ◽  
Students With Severe Disabilities

As students with severe disabilities are included in general education settings, the use of paraprofessionals has expanded to meet these students' needs. Unfortunately, paraprofessionals can have the inadvertent effect of intensifying the social isolation of students with disabilities. This study investigated the effectiveness of a training program aimed at teaching four paraprofessionals to facilitate interactions between students with severe disabilities and their peers. A multiple baseline, single-subject design across four paraprofessional/student pairs was utilized. Observational data were collected over the baseline and postintervention phases. Rates of paraprofessional facilitative behavior increased following the intervention. Additionally, rates of student interaction increased immediately and dramatically and were maintained through the maintenance probe.

Peer Interactions and Sociometric Status of High School Students with Moderate or Severe Disabilities in General Education Classrooms

2000 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 142-152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keli Mu ◽  
Ellin B. Siegel ◽  
Rose M. Allinder
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
High School Students ◽  
General Education ◽  
Social Status ◽  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Peer Interactions ◽  
Peer Acceptance ◽  
Severe Disabilities ◽  
School Students ◽  
The Social

We examined the social status of six high school students with moderate or severe disabilities in general education cooking classes and compared their social interaction behaviors with those of peers without disabilities. The peers without disabilities who participated were selected from an “average” group based on peer nomination sociometric assessments. Results showed that the social status of the students with disabilities varied. Although no participating students with disabilities were classified as “popular” among their peers, the majority of the participating students with disabilities obtained “average” social status ratings. Results also indicated that students with disabilities were involved in fewer social interactions, interacted with peers without disabilities slightly more often than with adults, and were more often passive participants in interactions. Future studies should examine peer interactions and peer acceptance of students with moderate or severe disabilities in more academic classes, as well as factors that impact their social status and social relationships in inclusive environments.

Some Effects of Regular Class Participation on the Social Contacts and Social Networks of High School Students with Severe Disabilities

1994 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Craig H. Kennedy ◽  
Tiina Itkonen
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
High School Students ◽  
Severe Disabilities ◽  
School Students ◽  
Social Contacts ◽  
Class Participation ◽  
School Year ◽  
Regular Class ◽  
The Social ◽  
Students With Severe Disabilities

We studied the effects of participating in regular education classes on the social life of three high school students with severe disabilities. Using a multiple baseline design across students (with an embedded ABAB withdrawal design), participants' social contacts and social networks were analyzed. Data were collected throughout the school day across 1 school year. Regular class participation, the independent variable, was introduced within a baseline focusing upon a community-based curriculum including access to peers without disabilities via peer tutoring and “friendship” programs. Our results indicate that regular class participation: (a) increased the frequency of social contacts students had with peers without disabilities, (b) was the locus for meeting half of the peers without disabilities contacted across the school year, and (c) was an important source for meeting peers without disabilities who subsequently became members of students' social networks. In addition, our results showed that: (a) durable and frequent social contacts also occurred with peers without disabilities met outside of regular education classes, (b) the amount of contact with peers extending outside of regular classes varied across students, and (c) the perceived quality of social contacts did not vary systematically with the locus of initial contact. The results are discussed in relation to possible outcomes relating to regular class participation at the secondary level and areas for future research.

Supporting the Social Lives of Secondary Students With Severe Disabilities: Considerations for Effective Intervention

2017 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 52-61 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erik W. Carter
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Students ◽  
Peer Interactions ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Severe Disabilities ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Social Lives ◽  
The Social ◽  
Students With Severe Disabilities ◽  
Long Term Impact ◽  
Multicomponent Interventions

For adolescents with severe disabilities, efforts to enhance the social dimensions of schooling are widely advocated, yet rarely implemented. The peer interactions and relationships so critical to school success and individual well-being can be elusive for many students with intellectual disability, autism, and multiple disabilities. This article highlights promising approaches for enhancing the social lives of secondary students with severe disabilities. The author presents five areas of intervention for secondary schools: student-related factors, peer-related factors, support-related factors, opportunity-related factors, and context-related factors. Attention then turns to how various peer-mediated approaches—peer support arrangements, peer network interventions, and peer partner programs—can be drawn upon to address one or more of these important factors. Recommendations are offered for (a) implementing multicomponent interventions, (b) addressing fidelity in the context of individualized interventions, (c) measuring the social-related impact, (d) promoting changes in social outcomes that have widespread and long-term impact, and (e) encouraging schoolwide and sustained adoption of these approaches.

Four Portraits of Friendship at an Inclusive School

1994 ◽  
Vol 19 (4) ◽  
pp. 314-325 ◽  
Author(s):  
Debbie Staub ◽  
Ilene S. Schwartz ◽  
Chrysan Gallucci ◽  
Charles A. Peck
Keyword(s):  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Social Relationships ◽  
Severe Disabilities ◽  
Educational Settings ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Social ◽  
Inclusive Schools ◽  
Inclusive School ◽  
Classroom Data

The movement toward creating inclusive schools has accelerated rapidly over the past several years. As they learn more about the effects of inclusion on students with disabilities, consumers, practitioners, and researchers are becoming more interested in the effects of inclusion on students without disabilities. One area of great interest is the social relationships between students with disabilities and students without disabilities. The purpose of this study is to present case studies of four students without disabilities who are friends of students with moderate and severe disabilities in their classroom. Data for the case studies were collected through observations, videotaped samples, and interviews. The case studies illustrate the uniqueness of each friendship and highlight some similarities across relationships. Results are discussed in terms of their implications for promoting relationships in inclusive educational settings.

Peer-Interaction Strategies: Fostering Positive Experiences for Students With Severe Disabilities in Inclusive Music Classes

2019 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 28-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ellary A. Draper ◽  
Laura S. Brown ◽  
Judith A. Jellison
Keyword(s):  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Peer Interaction ◽  
Task Complexity ◽  
Severe Disabilities ◽  
Positive Interactions ◽  
Typically Developing ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Regular Classrooms ◽  
Working Together ◽  
Students With Severe Disabilities

Too often, students with disabilities in regular classrooms have limited access to the regular curriculum, and for students with severe disabilities, interactions are often with paraprofessionals, not typical classmates. The present study is grounded in action research methods in that an elementary teacher and the authors worked together for the purpose of designing, implementing, and evaluating interaction guidelines between her students with severe disabilities and their typically developing classmates. Overall, instruction and implementation of peer-interaction activities for working together and helping each other were efficient and resulted in high rates of positive interactions. Although the students with disabilities needed different kinds of support, they were capable of participating in a wide-range of music activities and interacting with their typical classmates. Differences in frequencies and quality of interactions are attributed primarily to task complexity, individual needs, and partner assignments.

LRE and the Placement of Students with Severe Disabilities

1992 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 145-153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kathryn Haring ◽  
Felicia Farron-Davis ◽  
Lori Goetz ◽  
Patricia Karasoff ◽  
Wayne Sailor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Severe Disabilities ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Educational Placement ◽  
National Monitoring ◽  
Severely Handicapped ◽  
Degree Of Disability ◽  
Survey Validity ◽  
Students With Severe Disabilities ◽  
Integrated Or

This study addresses the issue of state variability in the placement of students with disabilities in integrated or segregated (students with disabilities only) settings. The study examines actual placement patterns of students with severe disabilities (“severely handicapped”) in a small sample of states in order to more closely identify and analyze factors that might influence national monitoring and reporting of LRE issues. Three states representing different geographical areas and including rural, suburban, and urban population bases participated in a direct survey. The survey asked respondents to identify the number of students with severe disabilities (as defined by the U.S. Department of Education) in the state and the educational placement of these students. A survey validity check was also carried out on a sample of 139 students across the three states. Students were observed and rated using a scale that reports degree of disability (moderate to profound) across nine characteristics; in addition, the placement of these students was recorded. The results of the study suggest that the means by which states collect child count data to report to the federal government under Section 618 of the Education for All Handicapped Children Act are inadequate to meet present informational needs. The collection of data by disability category, for example, rather than by estimates of the extent of disability, may make it difficult to evaluate the effects of present educational reform efforts.

Attitudes and Attributes of Physical Educators Associated with Teaching Individuals with Severe and Profound Disabilities

1995 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 80-87 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin E. Block ◽  
Terry L. Rizzo
Keyword(s):  
Students With Disabilities ◽  
Severe Disabilities ◽  
Adapted Physical Education ◽  
Physical Educators ◽  
Attitudes Toward Teaching ◽  
Profound Disabilities ◽  
Students With Severe Disabilities ◽  
Education Coursework ◽  
Regular Classes

The purpose of this study was to assess the relationship between attitudes and selected attributes (teaching assignment, teaching level, adapted physical education coursework, special education coursework, years teaching students with disabilities, quality of teaching experience, and perceived competence in teaching students with disabilities) of public school (K-12) physical educators toward teaching students with severe and profound disabilities in regular classes. Teacher (N = 150) from suburban school districts in a midwestern state were sent the Physical Educators' Attitude Toward Teaching Individuals with Disabilities-III (PEATID-III) and 91 (61%) responded. Data showed that physical educators were undecided about teaching students with severe disabilities and disagreed with the proposal of teaching students with profound disabilities in their regular classes. There was a significant difference between attitudes toward teaching students with severe and profound disabilities. Although only a moderate amount of the variance was accounted by attributes, results from a forward stepwise multiple regression procedure showed that as the quality of teaching experiences improved and adapted physical education coursework increased, attitudes toward teaching students with severe disabilities were more favorable. Favorable attitudes toward teaching students with profound disabilities were associated with an increase of both coursework in special education and perceived teacher competence.

Maximizing Social Contact for Secondary Students with Severe Handicaps

1986 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 118-124 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregg Chin-Perez ◽  
Dan Hartman ◽  
Hyun Sook Park ◽  
Sharon Sacks ◽  
Alice Wershing ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Skills ◽  
Secondary Students ◽  
Social Contact ◽  
Skills Training ◽  
Severe Disabilities ◽  
Training Project ◽  
The Social ◽  
Severe Handicaps ◽  
Students With Severe Disabilities ◽  
Research Assistants

This article describes a secondary program for students with severe handicaps which attempts to maximize the social contact between handicapped and nonhandicapped persons. The program selectively integrates students into academic and other regular education courses. Nonhandicapped peers are used for tutoring purposes as well as research assistants in a social skills training project. A survey completed by a variety of important others indicated substantial improvements in the behavioral repertoires of the students with severe disabilities, particularly in the area of social skills.

scholarly journals “If He/She Had Been Like the Rest of Us”. How Do Young People Describe Their Schoolmates Who Are Different from Others in the Group?

2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Minna Saarinen ◽  
Satu Mattila
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Secondary School ◽  
Peer Interactions ◽  
Leisure Activities ◽  
Technical Institute ◽  
School Year ◽  
The Social ◽  
Upper Secondary ◽  
The Family ◽  
Upper Secondary Schools

The article examines issues related to peer interactions and group joining in upper secondary schools in Finland. The study elaborates on how young people describe students who are left out/excluded or who remain outside the social networks. The study also elucidates on how a student can join the group. The research is motivated by the current educational ethos, which emphasizes inclusion and tolerance. The data were collected from an upper secondary school and vocational and technical institute. The students were asked to recall the prior high school year and write an essay on the topic. A total of 49 students wrote about their memories. The data were analyzed using inductive content analysis, and the study found that students are either excluded or included due to the social skills they possess. Those who do not exhibit the same approach to being in a group will stay on the sidelines. The essays also described factors that connect students, such as hobbies and leisure activities. Similarity in many external factors (e.g., the family’s economic situation) unites students. Contrary to expectations, young people described themselves, and not just others, as outsiders.

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