Kindergarten teachers' perspectives: classroom ecology, peer interactions, and children with disabilities

Meyer, Lori

Permalink

https://hdl.handle.net/2142/72998 Copy

Description

Title

Kindergarten teachers' perspectives: classroom ecology, peer interactions, and children with disabilities

Author(s)

Meyer, Lori

Issue Date

2015-01-21

Director of Research (if dissertation) or Advisor (if thesis)

Ostrosky, Michaelene M.

Doctoral Committee Chair(s)

Ostrosky, Michaelene M.

Committee Member(s)

• Favazza, Paddy C.
• Santos, Rosa
• Meadan, Hedda
• Mouzourou, Chryso

Department of Study

Special Education

Discipline

Special Education

Degree Granting Institution

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Degree Name

Ph.D.

Degree Level

Dissertation

Keyword(s)

• disability
• kindergarten
• peer-related social competence
• Peer interactions
• inclusion
• social-emotional development

Abstract

This study examined kindergarten teachers’ perspectives about current practices that facilitate peer-related social competence for children with disabilities. Twenty kindergarten teachers participated in four focus groups to gather their thoughts about the roles teachers have in supporting peer interactions and relationships for children with disabilities, the opportunities children with disabilities have to interact with peers in their general education kindergarten classrooms, facilitators and barriers to supporting peer interactions and relationships for children with disabilities, and suggestions teacher had for changes to school environments to promote peer interactions and relationships for children with disabilities during their kindergarten year. Sixteen categories were identified across the four focus group sessions and two key themes emerged: moving beyond class-wide instruction and school-level barriers to providing social interaction interventions.

Graduation Semester

2014-12

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/72998

Copyright and License Information

Copyright 2014 Lori Meyer

Owning Collections