Generalization of Positive Social Behavior by Severely Handicapped Students: A Review and Analysis of Research

Abstract

Because of the recent movement to integrate severely handicapped students into a variety of school and community environments, it is becoming increasingly important that severely handicapped students be able to generalize their social skills across a variety of people and settings. In this article, the authors review the research on promoting positive social behavior of severely handicapped students and analyze the research in terms of those factors that have been found to influence generalization. Practical implications are drawn from the research reviewed in regard to how educators might better foster generalization of the positive social behaviors of severely handicapped students.