Date of Award
Spring 5-16-2014
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Education Specialist (EdS)
Department
Special Education
First Advisor
Ginny Van Rie
Abstract
High school students with intellectual disabilities are often not socially included with their peers (Carter, Hughes, Guth, & Copeland, 2005). In order to address this concern, the researcher investigated the effects of Best Buddies International as an intervention on the frequency and duration of social interactions of high school students with intellectual disabilities and their peers without disabilities as well as the effect on the attitudes and beliefs of members of Best Buddies International without disabilities related to relationships with peers with disabilities. A total of 21 high school students between the ages of 16 and 19 participated, 4 of whom had intellectual disabilities and 17 with typical development. A pre/post AB design was used to evaluate the effect of Best Buddies on social interactions of students with disabilities and their peers without disabilities as well as attitudes and perceptions of students without disabilities related to their peers with disabilities. Results show that Best Buddies International as an intervention increased frequency and duration of the social interaction of students with significant cognitive impairments with their peers without disabilities, but had no impact on attitudes and beliefs of individuals without disabilities related to their peers with disabilities after one semester.
Recommended Citation
Holloway, Elizabeth, "The Effects of Implementation a Chapter of Best Buddies International on the Frequency and Durating of Social Interaction of Students with Intellectual Disabilities and the Attitudes, Beliefs, and Experiences of Students with Disabilities" (2014). Specialist in Education Degree (Ed.S.) Theses. 7.
https://kb.gcsu.edu/eds/7.