Increasing Social Communication of Students With Intellectual Disability in Rural College Classrooms

As more students with an intellectual disability are attending postsecondary programs at colleges and universities, these students are presented with new opportunities for socialization (e.g., conversing with peers and faculty across campus environments, joining organizations of interest, and participating in campus events). The generalization of social skills to new settings and classrooms with unfamiliar people may be challenging for some individuals with an intellectual disability. We conducted a single-case study using a multiple baseline design across student and peer pairs to evaluate the effects of peer training on the social communication of students in rural college classrooms. Specifically, we collected data on students taking three or more turns during conversations, initiating or responding to their peer partners, and discussing academic or social topics (communication function) using partial interval recordings. After a brief training session with peers, all students increased the percentage of intervals taking three or more turns, with the majority of student responses focusing on academic content. We conclude the article by discussing key findings, limitations, future research directions, and implications for practice.