Storey, K., Smith, D. J., & Strain, P. S. (1993). Use of classroom assistants and peer-mediated intervention to increase integration in preschool settings. Exceptionality, 4, 1-16.
Eight triads of preschool students where one child of each triad was socially withdrawn & developmentally delayed and four classroom assistants in preschool classes in regular elementary schools
Intervention: Multiple-probes across settings. Classroom assistants assigned each to two triads in their classroom used interventions with two students in each triad to teach peer mediated social interactions using written procedures, modeling, practice and corrective feedback during randomly selected play activities. Interval recording using observation codes by researchers.
This study extends the previous research which showed effectiveness of an intervention method using peer mediated social interaction in a controlled clinical settings conducted by carefully trained personnel. It is extended through application of the procedures in regular integrated preschool settings by classroom assistants who were taught to effectively implement the interventions. Social validation measures also showed that classroom assistants liked the procedures and felt they were effective. Professionals and parents found social interactions to be increased as compared to baseline.
Limitations noted by authors: Generalizability and maintenance cannot be inferred and require further study.
Summarized by: Susan Edelman - May 1999