Peer Training to Facilitate Social Interaction for Elementary Students with Autism and Their Peers

Abstract

There is increasing evidence that peer-mediated interventions for students with autism are effective in increasing participation in natural settings. Still unknown are the contributions peers make to the generalization of social behaviors. Results from two investigations of this issue are reported. In Study 1, social interaction with peers increased during interventions compared to controls; however, students in cooperative learning control groups showed higher levels of generalization than those in social groups. In Study 2, videotaped probes of 34 students indicated greater generalization of skills from groups with trained peers, and less from groups with untrained and stranger peers. Implications are discussed regarding the value of ongoing peer training and structured groups to establish relationships and generalization of skills over time.

A Review of Training Intraverbal Repertoires: Can Precision Teaching Help?

“…As clinicians search the literature to find effective strategies to employ in their day to day work with clients, they find little solace in the overwhelming number of articles and the variety of training procedures. The research supports the use of each procedure, yet only segmented pieces of intraverbal repertoires are established (Albertson & Billingsley, 1998;Albrecht, 1981;Bell, et al, 1991;Berens, et al, 2003;Braam & Poling, 1983;Chiesa & Robertson, 2000;Killu, et al, 2001;Lovitt, et al, 1985;Luciano, 1986;Miguel, et al, 2005;Ritesman, et al, 1996;Spaulding, et al, 1995;Sweeney, et al, 2001;Tennenbaum & Wolking, 1989;Watkins, et al, 1989) generally with contrived controlling variables (Braam & Poling, 1983;Hunt, et al, 1988;Kamps, et al, 1994;Kamps, et al, 2002;Krantz, et al, 1989) and contrived reinforcement contingencies (Braam & Poling, 1983;Kamps, et al, 1994;Kamps, et al, 2002;Krantz, et al, 1989;Luciano, 1986;Watkins, et al, 1989). Clinicians seek to teach the intraverbal repertoire in its entirety and to establish this repertoire under naturally occurring stimulus control and reinforcement contingencies.…”

“…For example, Krantz, et al (1989) indicated that skills were generalized across settings but settings differed only on one variable -room color. In addition, adults often maintained some stimulus control over responding (Kamps, et al, 1994;Kamps, et al, 2002;Krantz, et al, 1989). Skills that did generalize across conditions did not maintain at the same rates when new peers were introduced.…”

“…One approach to establishing intraverbal behavior includes peer mediated interventions. Three styles of intervention are included in this line of research: peers as prompters (Krantz, Ramsland, & McClannahan, 1989), peer tutoring (Bell, Young, Salzberg, & West, 1991;Kamps, Barbetta, Leonard, & Delquadri, 1994), and peer training (Kamps, et al, 2002). Peer prompting methods employ peers as conversational initiators for peers with disabilities, while peer tutoring methods employ peers as instructors for academically oriented skills.…”

“…Peers with disabilities might be instructed in academic skills through modeling, choral and individual responding, practice with another student, and through review. Generally, reinforcement is contingent upon the use of the new skills groups (Kamps, et al, 2002).…”

“…Procedures that involve peers to increase intraverbal responding have resulted in increases in participants' intraverbal repertoires (Bell, et al, 1991;Kamps, et al, 1994;Kamps, et al, 2002;Krantz, et al, 1989). The literature on peer mediated interventions suggests gains in both academic and conversational intraverbal repertoires that were evoked across settings for extended periods of time (Bell, et al, 1991;Kamps, et al, 1994;Krantz, et al, 1989).…”