An Intervention Strategy to Enhance Spelling Performance and Social Interaction and to Decrease Inappropriate Behaviours of Students with Mild Disabilities and Typical Peers in an Inclusive Instructional Setting
Restricted accessResearch articleFirst published online May, 1998
An Intervention Strategy to Enhance Spelling Performance and Social Interaction and to Decrease Inappropriate Behaviours of Students with Mild Disabilities and Typical Peers in an Inclusive Instructional Setting
An intervention strategy to enhance spelling performance, social interactions and decrease inappropriate behaviours of students with mild disabilities and typical peers in an inclusive instructional setting
This study investigated the ability of Class Wide Peer Tutoring (CWPT) to enhance the social interactions and improve the spelling of three students with mild disabilities and three of their typical peers. Social interactions were assessed using the Multiple Option Observation System for Experimental Studies. Spelling performance was measured by weekly pre-post-tests. Using a single-subject design, the results indicated that the duration of positive social interactions emitted by the students with mild disabilities and their typical peers during the CWPT intervention were dramatically increased. In addition, CWPT produced large gains in academic achievement for both groups of students. The implications of the findings for the use of direct observation and CWPT to enhance the social interactions and spelling performance of students with mild disabilities in the regular education classroom are discussed.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BaerD. M., WolfM. M., and RisleyT. R. (1968), ‘Some current dimensions of applied behaviour analysis’, Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis1, 91–7.
2.
BrewerN., and SmithJ. M. (1989), ‘Social acceptance of mentally retarded children in regular schools in relation to years mainstreamed’, Psychological Reports64, 375–81.
3.
BulgrenJ. A., and CartaJ. J. (1993), ‘Examining the instructional contexts of students with learning disabilities’, Exceptional Children59, 182–91.
4.
CartaJ. J., GreenwoodC. R., SchulteD., Arreaga-MayerC., TerryB., and KampsD. (1992), Code for Instructional Structure and Student Academic Response: mainstream version (MS-CISSAR), Kansas City, Kan.: Juniper Gardens Children's Project, Bureau of Child Research, University of Kansas.
5.
ColemanJ. M., and MinnettA. M. (1993), ‘Learning disabilities and social competence: a social ecological perspective’, Exceptional Children59, 234–46.
6.
GreenwoodC. R., DelquadriJ. C., and CartaJ. J. (1988), Classwide Peer Tutoring (CWPT), Delray Beach, Fla.: Education Achievement Systems.
7.
GreshamF. M. (1992), ‘Social skills and learning disabilities: causal, concomitant, or correlational?’School Psychology Review21, 348–60.
8.
GreshamF. M., and ElliottS. N. (1989a), ‘Social skills deficits as a primary learning disability’, Journal of Learning Disabilities22, 120–4.
9.
GreshamF. M. (1989b), ‘Social skills assessment technology for LD students’, Learning Disabilities Quarterly12, 141–52.
10.
GuralnickM. J. (1980), ‘Social interactions among preschool children’, Exceptional Children40, 248–53.
11.
HaringT. G. (1993), ‘Research basis of instructional procedures to promote social interaction and integration’, in GableR. A., and, WarrenS. F. (eds), Strategies for Teaching Students with Mild to Severe Mental Retardation, Baltimore, Md: Brookes.
12.
KoppC. B., BakerB. L., and BrownK. W. (1992), ‘Social skills and their correlates: preschoolers with developmental delays’, American Journal on Mental Retardation96, 357–66.
13.
La GrecaA. M., and VaughnS. (1992), ‘Social functioning of individuals with learning disabilities’, School Psychology Review21, 340–7.
14.
LandauS., and MooreL. A. (1991), ‘Social skill deficits in children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder’, School Psychology Review20, 235–51.
15.
McKinneyJ. D., and FeagansL. (1984), ‘Academic and behavioural characteristics of learning disabled children and average achievers: longitudinal studies’, Learning Disability Quarterly7, 251–64.
16.
McKinneyJ. D., MontagueM., and HocuttA. M. (1993), ‘Educational assessment of students with attention deficit disorder’, Exceptional Children60, 125–31.
17.
MerrellK., MerzJ. M., JohnsonE. R., and RingE. N. (1992), ‘Social competence of students with mild handicaps and low achievement: a comparative study’, School Psychology Review21, 125–37.
18.
MilichR., McAninchC. B., and HarrisM. J. (1992), ‘Effects of stigmatizing information on children's peer relations: believing is seeing’, School Psychology Review21, 400–9.
19.
OsguthorpeR. T., EisermanW. D., and ShislerL. (1985), ‘Increasing social acceptance: mentally retarded students tutoring regular class peers’, Education and Training of the Mentally Retarded20, 235–40.
20.
PutnamJ. W. (1993), Cooperative Learning and Strategies for Inclusion.Baltimore, Md: Brookes.
21.
RobertsC., and ZubrickS. (1993), ‘Factors influencing the social status of children with mild academic disabilities in regular classrooms’, Exceptional Children59, 192–202.
22.
RobertsC., PrattC., and LeachD. (1991), ‘Classroom and playground interaction of students with and without disabilities’, Exceptional Children57, 212–24.
23.
SnellM. E., and EichnerS. J. (1989), ‘Integration for students with profound disabilities’, in BrownF., and, LehrD. H. (eds), Persons with Profound Disabilities: issues and practices, Baltimore, Md: Brookes.
24.
ShoresR. E., JackS. L., GunterP. L., EllisD. N., DeBriereT. J., and WehbyJ. H. (1992), ‘Classroom interactions of children with behaviour disorders’, Journal of Emotional and Behavioural Disorders1, 27–39.
25.
StoneW. L., and La GrecaA. M. (1990), ‘The social status of children with learning disabilities: a re-examination’, Journal of Learning Disabilities23, 32–7.
26.
TappJ., and WehbyJ. H. (1992), A Multiple Option Observation System for Experimental Studies (MOOSES), Nashville, Tenn.: Vanderbilt University, and Minneapolis: University of Minnesota.
27.
ThurlowM., GradenJ., GreenerJ., and YsseldykeJ. (1983), ‘LD and non-LD students' opportunities to learn’, Learning Disability Quarterly6, 172–83.
28.
VaughnS., and LancelottaG. X. (1990), ‘Teaching interpersonal social skills to poorly accepted students: peer-pairing versus non-peer-pairing’, Journal of School Psychology28, 181–8.
29.
VaughnS., ScottM. S., PerouR., ScottR. P., and FredebaughD. (1993), ‘Social competence of preschoolers with disabilities’, Diagnostique18, 123–34.
30.
WilliamsG. A., and AsherS. R. (1992), ‘Assessment of loneliness at school among children with mild mental retardation’, American Journal of Mental Retardation96, 373–85.
31.
YsseldykeJ. E., ChristensonS. L., ThurlowM. L., and SkibaR. (1987), Academic Engagement and Active Responding of Mentally Retarded, Learning Disabled, Emotionally Disturbed, and Nonhandicapped Elementary Students, Research Report No. 4, Minneapolis: University of Minnesota.
32.
YsseldykeJ. E., ThurlowM. L., MecklenburgC., and GradenJ. (1984), ‘Opportunity to learn for regular and special education students during reading instruction’, Remedial and Special Education5, 29–37.
33.
YsseldykeJ. E., ThurlowM. L., ChristensonL. L., and WeissJ. (1987), Time allocated to Instructional Tasks used by Mentally Retarded, Learning Disabled, Emotionally Disturbed and Nonhandicapped Elementary Students, Research Report No. 1, Minneapolis: University of Minnesota.
