How Much Time Should Be Spent on Skill Instruction and Friendship Development? Preferences of Parents of Students With Moderate and Severe/Profound Disabilities

Abstract

Parents of students with moderate and severe / profound disabilities were surveyed to determine their preferences for the percent of a typical school week that should be spent on functional life shills, academic skills, friendship / social relationship development,and other educational activities (e.g., physical/speech therapy, music) in the educational programs of their sons | daughters. Parents of students with moderate and severe / profound disabilities showed a clear preference for the largest percentage of a school week to be spent on functional life skills. Parents of students with moderate disabilities showed preference for academic skills as the next largest percentage, followed by friendship / social relationship development, and little preference for other educational activities. Parents of students with severe / profound disabilities showed preference for friendship / social relationship development as their next largest percentage, followed by academic skills, and other educational activities. A trend was observed for parental preferences to increase for functional life skills, but decrease for friendship / social relationship development, as the age of their son / daughter increased. Implications for future research and educational practice are suggested.