Outcomes of Interactions with Peers with Moderate or Severe Disabilities: A Statewide Survey of High School Students

Abstract

Research on the interactions between students with disabilities and their peers without disabilities has focused primarily on cognitive, academic, and social outcomes for students, with most of the attention on the students with disabilities. Only recently have researchers begun to direct more attention to students without disabilities, and to examine a broader range of outcomes, including those related to the effects of participating in social relationships with students with disabilities. In this study, high school students without disabilities responded to a survey in which they indicated their agreement or disagreement with a variety of positive and negative outcome statements that were drawn from descriptive research on relationships between students without disabilities and peers with disabilities. Factor analysis of the responses from the statewide sample of 166 students yielded seven categories of perceived positive outcomes of integration experiences: (a) increased responsiveness to the needs of other people, (b) valuing relationships with people with disabilities, (c) personal development, (d) increased tolerance of other people, (e) development of personal values, (f) increased appreciation of human diversity, and (g) positive changes in personal status with peers. Results also suggest that more positive outcomes are associated with more contact, receiving credit for the experience, and more substantive interaction (e.g., friendships). Students did not experience major difficulties in their relationships. Difficulties that were mentioned generally related to knowing how to interact with the person with a disability (e.g., how to communicate with a student). The results suggest that integration may afford opportunities for students without disabilities to develop a sense of personal responsibility and an ethic of caring and commitment to others.