Exploring the Effectiveness of a Peer to Peer Program on Special Education and General Education High School Students

Abstract

This article explores the efficacy of a Peer to Peer program on improving the social and academic goals of high school students with developmental disabilities. Past uses of Peer to Peer have focused exclusively on students with Autism Spectrum Disorders, leaving a large gap yet to be explored among other developmental disabilities. The research follows a mixed methodology based on action research applied directly to five students in a general education setting over a four week period. During the four week period the interactions between the target student and the peer buddy were observed at least once a week and recorded. These observations occurred in tandem with weekly peer buddy surveys and meetings with the special education team. The researcher concluded that Peer to Peer was effective in improving the social and academic skills of the target students during the duration of the study. However, it was altogether inconclusive due to the limits of time and resources that existed for the researcher. With more research over a larger time period this approach to teaching special education students can be proved efficacious on a larger scale.