Descriptions of friendship support in the inclusive classroom
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Authors
Hough, Leah
Issue Date
2022
Type
Thesis
Language
en
Subject
Alternative Title
Abstract
As educational support for students with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD) shifts from integration to inclusion, the topic of student friendship and social connection, for all students, merits attention. Current literature in the field has identified: perspectives of students with IDD are underrepresented; parents and guardians play a critical role in supporting the development and maintenance of friendship for children with IDD, and their perspectives and knowledge are also underrepresented in the literature as well as in the school setting; students with IDD disproportionately experience friendlessness when compared to their typically developing peers (Frostad & Pijl, 2007; Frostad et al., 2011; Hoffmann et al., 2020; Webster & Carter, 2013). This descriptive research followed a Mixed Methods Explanatory Sequential Design to investigate the question, How is the development of healthy, effective friendships described by students with IDD, their parents, and teachers? Results of this study identified the following themes: 1) Many students with IDD benefit from carefully planned and implemented support to facilitate the development and maintenance of friendships and promote healthy social interaction during unstructured times; 2) Effective friendship support takes time, people, and training; 3) Inclusive friendships are more likely to grow in inclusive environments; 4) Frequent, open, two-way communication among students’ support networks, including students, parents, teachers, administrators, and community partners, can provide important understanding and support for healthy friendships. While not generalizable due to small sample size, results are useful in guiding conversations to improve support and communication practices.
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Citation
Publisher
Electronic version published by Vancouver Island University