Acceptability and Feasibility of Classroom-Based Social Interaction Interventions for Young Children with Disabilities

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess teachers' judgments of the acceptability, feasibility, and current use of child specific, peer-mediated, and environmental arrangement intervention strategies for promoting social interaction skills of young children with disabilities. One hundred thirty-one teachers from five geographical areas participated in this study. Using the Social Interaction Program Features Questionnaire, these teachers reported that a high percentage of their students needed to acquire peer social interaction skills and that there was a moderate to great need for curricular or instructional materials. The overall mean ratings for the three types of intervention strategies were generally positive and did not differ significantly, suggesting that teachers found all three types of interventions acceptable and feasible. However, the range of item ratings for specific techniques within the broader classes of interventions suggested that certain procedures were relatively more or less acceptable and feasible than others. Barriers to implementing the program included limited teacher time, resources available to teachers (i.e., space, staff, materials), and access to peers without disabilities. Teacher ratings of feasibility were related more closely to current use of procedures than were ratings of acceptability.