Causton-Theoharis, J.N., & Malmgren, K.W. (2005). Building bridges: Strategies to help paraprofessionals promote peer interactions. Teaching Exceptional Children, 37(6), 18-24.
Students with disabilities are being educated in the general education classroom in increasing numbers, in part because the classroom is considered a place ripe for interaction and learning. Paraeducators are commonly utilized as a support to help facilitate the inclusion of students with disabilities in these settings. However, with the use of adult support comes some challenges that can actually hinder the integration of students with disabilities within the general classroom population. This paper summarizes some of the negative effects that paraeducator support can have on classroom interactions and highlights strategies that paraeducators and other support personnel can use to help students with disabilities increase their interaction with their peers within the context of the general education classroom.
Last modified February 14 2008 11:22 AM
