Nonhandicapped Peer Tutors With Students With Moderate Mental Retardation: Examination of Changes in Both Tutors and Tutees
Donder, Daniel Jerome, Jr.
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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/69053
Description
Title
Nonhandicapped Peer Tutors With Students With Moderate Mental Retardation: Examination of Changes in Both Tutors and Tutees
Author(s)
Donder, Daniel Jerome, Jr.
Issue Date
1986
Department of Study
Education
Discipline
Education
Degree Granting Institution
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Degree Name
Ph.D.
Degree Level
Dissertation
Keyword(s)
Education, Special
Abstract
While many students with moderate mental retardation are educated in segregated schools, this study provides evidence that an integrated public school setting for these students benefits not only the students with handicaps but the nonhandicapped students as well. Specifically the study investigated: (a) whether the use of a peer tutoring program would result in skill acquisition by students with moderate mental retardation; (b) whether the experience of tutoring students with moderate mental retardation influences nonhandicapped students' attitudes toward their peers with handicaps; and (c) whether the tutoring experience resulted in collateral benefits as reported by parents, teachers, and administrators.
A multiple baseline across subjects design was utilized to access the effectiveness of the peer tutoring intervention. The peer tutoring package included the following three components: (a) peer tutor assistance on daily assignments; (b) structured feedback and instruction from the peer tutor on accuracy of work; and (c) free time privileges contingent on completion of work. An acceptance scale was administered to nonhandicapped students to determine whether their attitudes toward students with moderate mental retardation were more positive when classes for the latter were located in their own school. The acceptance scale was also used to determine differences in attitude among the peer tutors and their classmates. In addition, a case study was conducted to obtain reactions of the special education teacher, parents of students with handicaps, parents of nonhandicapped students involved in the study, and school administrators to the peer tutoring program.
The results of the peer tutoring program revealed that all three students with handicaps exhibited significant changes in their mean percentage of correct responses during intervention periods when compared to their respective baseline performance. Based on the acceptance scale mean scores, the nonhandicapped students attitudes became more positive (i.e., accepting) towards students with moderate mental retardation after classes for the latter were located in their school. Furthermore, the mean change in the peer tutors acceptance scale scores were greater than the overall mean change in acceptance scale scores. The case study component of this study illustrated that the peer tutoring program was an extremely positive experience for the students with moderate mental retardation and the peer tutors.
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