The Social Integration of Students with Mild Disabilities in General Education Classrooms: Peer Group Membership and Peer-Assessed Social Behavior

Abstract

The social integration of students with mild disabilities was examined in 59 elementary classrooms. 198 students with mild disabilities were included in the sample of 1,538 students in the fourth, fifth, and sixth grades. 3 aspects of the social relations of students with mild disabilities were assessed with questionnaires: peer group membership, peer-assessed behavioral characteristics, and the peer-assessed behavioral characteristics of their associates. Most students with mild disabilities were members of classroom peer groups. However, students with mild disabilities were overrepresented as social isolates (20%). Students with mild disabilities differed from general education and academically gifted students on peer-assessed behavioral characteristics, were underrepresented in prosocial peer groups, and overrepresented in antisocial peer groups. Students with mild disabilities who had high levels of prosocial behavior tended to be members of high-prosocial peer groups. Students with mild disabilities who had high levels of antisocial behavior tended to be members of high-antisocial peer groups. Implications for intervention research are discussed.