Impact and Individualization of Peer Support Arrangements for High School Students With Autism Using Structural Analysis

Abstract

Including students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) well in high school general education classrooms requires intentional and individualized support. We examined the efficacy and social validity of peer support arrangements for enhancing the social and academic outcomes of three students with ASD, two of whom also had an intellectual disability (ID). We also explored the use of structural analysis to further individualize these interventions. Peer support arrangements increased social interactions and academic engagement for all three students. Structural analysis results were used to further refine each peer support arrangement. Our findings strengthen support for peer support arrangements as a research-based approach to promote the general education classroom inclusion of high school students with ASD. It also highlights the value of incorporating additional assessment to individualize these interventions for students with ASD with and without ID.