Increasing Social Interactions of High School Students with Developmental Disabilities

One of the evidence-based practices that focuses on the educational outcomes of students with disabilities is naturalistic strategies. Many studies of naturalistic strategies involved young students who received interventions from parents and educators. However, little is known about how naturalistic strategies can be implemented by peers of secondary school students with developmental disabilities (i.e., autism and/or intellectual disability). This intervention study evaluated the social communication outcomes of three high school students in the general education classrooms after peers received brief training delivered by a paraprofessional. We collected data using direct observations and post-intervention interviews. This presentation will focus on the results of the post-interviews with peers, paraprofessional, and teachers. Specifically, we will share the social importance of the goals, procedures, and outcomes of the project, as perceived by study participants. We will also discuss recommendations of creating natural supports for high school students with disabilities in inclusive settings and classrooms