Promoting the Social Acceptance of Young Children With Moderate–Severe Intellectual Disabilities Using Cooperative-Learning Techniques

Abstract

The effects of a cooperative-learning program on the social acceptance of children with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities by young children without disabilities were examined. Children without disabilities were assigned to a cooperative-learning program or a social-contact program involved with the special class children or to a control (no classroom contact) condition. Significant pretest-posttest changes over a 10-week period in the cooperative-learning context indicated that children without disabilities gave the special class children higher peer acceptance ratings, greater popularity indices, and lower social-distance ratings. There were also more frequent interactions with the children without disabilities. These changes did not occur in either the social-contact or the control groups.