Interactions of High School Students With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in Inclusive Classrooms

Area of Science:

• Special Education
• Inclusive Education
• Disability Studies

Background:

• Inclusive education policies are expanding opportunities for students with disabilities.
• Research on the social interactions of students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) in general education settings is limited.
• Understanding classroom social dynamics is crucial for effective inclusion.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the nature of social interactions among high school students with IDD in general education classrooms.
• To compare the interaction frequency of students with IDD with peers and general educators to their non-disabled peers.
• To identify patterns of presence and proximity for students with IDD during classroom activities.

Main Methods:

• Descriptive observational study design.
• Observation of 10 high school students with IDD in general education settings.
• Data collection on interaction frequency with peers and teachers, and student proximity.

Main Results:

• Students with IDD interacted with peers approximately 1 in every 4 minutes and with teachers 1 in every 10 minutes.
• These interaction rates were lower compared to their non-disabled peers.
• Students with IDD were present (89.9%) and in proximity to peers (71.7%) for most of the class period.

Conclusions:

• Students with IDD experience fewer social interactions in general education classrooms compared to their peers.
• Despite physical presence and proximity, social engagement may be limited.
• Further research and targeted interventions are needed to enhance social inclusion for students with IDD.