"I Never Truly Thought About Them Having Friends": Equipping Schools to Foster Peer Relationships
Department
Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
6-1-2017
Abstract
Students with severe disabilities often experience limited social participation and few friendships at school. We describe a project to equip school teams to implement peer support arrangements and peer networks focused on friendships, inclusion, and learning. We adopted a phenomenological qualitative approach to learn how participants viewed these interventions within their schools, issues emerging during implementation, and the impact of these interventions. We discuss themes surrounding (a) the impact of the context and structure of the school on implementation, (b) participants' views on professional development related to these interventions, and (c) impact on students, peers, and the broader school community.
Recommended Citation
Leigers, K., Kleinert, H. L., & Carter, E. W. (2017). "I Never Truly Thought About Them Having Friends": Equipping Schools to Foster Peer Relationships. Rural Special Education Quarterly, 36(2), 73-83. doi:10.1177/8756870517707711
Journal Title
Rural Special Education Quarterly