Fostering Social Connections and Learning in High Schools through Peer-Mediated Interventions

Introduction: Without additional support, students with severe disabilities are often isolated from their peers without disabilities and typical high school social activities. High schools struggle to move beyond segregated service delivery and support models relying exclusively on adults. The lack of evidence and other concerns about the reliance on adult supports in inclusive settings has spurred the need for rigorous research on alternatives. The Peer Partner Project provided the first large-scale randomized trial of alternative peer-based models. This multi-site randomized field trial examined the effectiveness of two peer-mediated interventions to promote the social and academic inclusion of students with severe disabilities (SWD). This presentation will describe results from the efficacy trial.

Methods: Participants included 148 SWD in at least one general education class per day, along with 296 peers without disabilities. SWD were randomly assigned to receive peer supports strategies, the peer network intervention, or to continue receiving individually assigned adult support (business as usual). Peer support arrangements involved training 2-3 peers without disabilities to socially and academically support SWD in an inclusive classroom. Peer network interventions involved identifying 3-6 peers without disabilities to meet with a SWD outside of the classroom and throughout the week for shared activities and social interactions (e.g. during lunch, between classes or after school). School staff received semester-long training and coaching to implement evidence-based practices for supporting inclusion at the high school level. Data on fidelity and social validity was collected and a range of assessments were completed by both parents and teachers on the social and academic behaviors of participating students at the beginning and end of the semester. Data were also collected to determine the impact of these interventions over time (i.e., up to 2 semesters later) and beyond the immediate intervention context.

Results: Results indicate students with and without disabilities enjoyed the intervention and educators found them usable and feasible. HLM analyses indicated both peer support strategies and peer network interventions were effective at increasing the social contacts and friendships among students with and without severe disabilities. Peer support arrangements produced significant gains in academic engagement and social outcomes.

Conclusions: Findings indicate distinct social and learning advantages of peer-mediated interventions over an exclusive reliance on individually assigned adult supports and provide new insights about the potential roles of paraprofessionals and peers in the education of adolescents with severe disabilities.