Boy in the Bubble: Effects of Paraprofessional Proximity and Other Pedagogical Decisions on the Interactions of a Student With Behavioral Disorders.

Boy in the Bubble: Effects of Paraprofessional Proximity and Other Pedagogical Decisions on the Interactions of a Student With Behavioral Disorders--Malmgren & Causton-Theoharis

Current school reforms, including such legislation as the most recent reauthorization of the Individuals With Disabilities Education Improvement Act, suggest the continued inclusion of children with special needs in general education settings. A vast amount of literature documents inclusion efforts by situating inclusion in theory based on the development of social interactions, peer relationships, and motivation, while other specific research has highlighted the benefits of instructional grouping arrangements, classroom climate, task structure, and the role of adults and other more capable peers working to assist children with disabilities. Examination of the use of paraprofessionals who assist children with disabilities has provided mixed results, including positive academic gains, but also inhibited peer interactions with peers who have disabilities as well as peers who are typically developing.

The current study was a qualitative case study situated in an elementary school classroom in the northwestern United States. In a classroom that had 59 students (51 students in a general education setting and 8 students who had identified disabilities) who were instructed by two general education teachers, one special education teacher, and a full-time paraprofessional the study focused on the inclusion of a student, Gary, who was diagnosed with an emotional and behavioral disorder. Observational data were collected in the general education classroom setting and two non-school settings. Interview data were also collected from the general education teachers, the special education teacher, the paraprofessional Gary, and Gary's mother. All teachers (including the paraprofessional) had a minimum of a bachelor's degree (the paraprofessional had a bachelor's degree in an area other than education and had been a paraprofessional for five years). Gary, a biracial 2nd-grader, had received special education services for two years prior to the current study. Gary's presentation of his disorder was mainly a set of internalizing behaviors with accompanying tantrums. Given this presentation, he was assigned his own full-time paraprofessional to help him meet his educational goals.

Classroom observational data indicated that over the course of 420 minutes of observation, Gary participated in 84 interactions. Of these 84, 52 were with adults, 16 were with peers with disabilities, and 16 were with peers without disabilities. Data indicated a discrepancy between what teachers perceived as benefits of grouping Gary with other children without disabilities and Gary's own perception of the grouping. Observational data indicated that the teachers overestimated the amount of interaction in which Gary was involved. Despite a group management system as well as a problem-solving strategy to promote a positive classroom environment, Gary did not appear to engage with peers or adults. Interview data suggested that Gary had difficulty with lack of structure in classroom- or school-related activities; however, in a non-academic setting, Gary interacted with peers. The last component of the observational study was an analysis of the proximity of adults to Gary, specifically the paraprofessional. Of the 270 minutes of classroom observation, only three interactions took place in the presence of the paraprofessional, while 90 percent of Gary's overall observed interactions took place without an adult near him.

The results of this study necessitate conversations about the role of adults in the peer or social exchanges of children with special needs in a general education setting. The authors of the study assert that the influence of the paraprofessional may have inhibited other structures or experiences (e.g., peer tutoring, guidance strategies) for Gary. Because it is a typical practice to assign a paraprofessional to a child with significant disabilities, careful examination of the role of that adult in that child's learning and social development context is needed. There are clear teacher education implications that can be gleaned from this study. While there is research in child care as well as other educational settings that suggests that more adults in a classroom provide for more opportunity for social exchange and learning experiences, perhaps the quality of those interactions and support needs further examination.