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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to explore the naturally occurring social interactions for students with disabilities who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) in general education classrooms. We observed 16 students who used AAC and received services under the categories of autism or intellectual disability. Participants primarily interacted with their support personnel and infrequently conversed with peers despite often being in close proximity. Few interaction episodes were initiated by students who used AAC, and initiations to peers and adults appeared to serve somewhat different functions. Students with disabilities relied more heavily on facial expressions and gestures than on the use of their AAC devices. Recommendations for promoting interaction opportunities among students are offered, and future research directions are suggested.
Key Words: social interaction; augmentative and alternative communication; paraprofessionals; inclusive education; severe disabilities
Recognition of the importance of promoting peer interaction for students with severe disabilities has been central to discussions of inclusive education for more than three decades (Brown et al., 1977; Jackson, Ryndak, & Wehmeyer, 2008/2009). Similarly, the critical contributions peer interactions make toward facilitating children's development and learning during the school years have been emphasized extensively across numerous academic fields (Rubin, Bukowski, & Laursen, 2009). Research suggests that students' peer interaction experiences are strongly associated with positive academic, behavioral, emotional, and social outcomes (Bukowski, Motzoi, & Meyer, 2009). At the same time, the absence of quality peer relationships has been linked to social isolation, depression, delinquency, and poor school performance (Wentzel, 2009).
Despite the importance placed on promoting positive peer interactions-and the friendships that can emerge-as a key element of comprehensive education, an accumulation of observational and longitudinal studies confirms that these relationships are often especially limited for students with intellectual disability (ID) or autism (Carter, Sisco, Brown, Brickham, & Al-Khabbaz, 2008; Webster & Carter, 2007). For example, parent interview findings from the Special Education Elementary Longitudinal Study indicated that 17% of children with ID and 32% of children with autism had never visited with friends during the previous year, and 50% of children with ID and 81% of children with autism never or rarely received telephone calls from friends (Wagner et al., 2002). This social isolation may be particularly apparent in the lives of the subset of students with...