Carter, E. W., Cushing, L. S., Clark, N. M., & Kennedy, C. H. (in press). Effects of peer support interventions on students’ access to the general curriculum and social interactions. Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities.
Peer support interventions are emerging as an effective alternative to traditional
paraprofessional models for assisting students with moderate to severe disabilities
to access the general curriculum. To contribute to the further refinement of
peer support interventions, we evaluated the impact of altering the number of
participating peers on the social and academic outcomes of students with and
without disabilities. Our findings indicated that changes in the configuration
of peer support
arrangements differentially impacted student outcomes. Specifically, higher
levels of social interaction and contact with the general curriculum were observed
when students with disabilities worked with two peers, relative to one peer.
The additive benefits of a second peer provide guidance to educators concerning
the implementation of peer support interventions in inclusive classrooms.
Last modified February 14 2008 11:22 AM
