The Enhancing Peer Networks Project: Fostering Peer Relationships for Children Who Use or Need AAC

Abstract

Peer relationships are vital for children’s social development and well-being. Meaningful peer interactions promote social-emotional development, including communication skills, greater self-esteem, and protection from bullying (Rubin et al., 2015).  Children with autism who have limited speech and use or need augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) often face significant social barriers in schools, including limited opportunities to interact with peers and trouble accessing communication supports (Chung et al., 2012).  Educators and practitioners also lack the necessary tools to foster peer engagement and relationships among these students and their peers, and to promote social communication growth within these relationships.

For the last five years, our team has led the Enhancing Peer Networks Project, which focuses on these issues by developing a multi-component intervention to support social communication and friendships among elementary-aged students with autism who have limited speech and their peers without disabilities. Our team has developed and evaluated the Enhancing Peer Networks intervention through six iterative studies, including two experimental single-case design studies, three mixed methods studies, and a full evaluation of the intervention using an embedded experimental mixed methods design. Intervention components include:

1. Class-wide social-emotional learning: Educators use story-based lessons to build a class-wide culture that supports inclusion and authentic peer relationships by teaching about concepts like diversity and inclusion, friendship, disability and neurodiversity, and belonging.
2. Play-based peer network groups: Educators support opportunities for students with autism and their peers without disabilities to play together and learn “Ways to Talk and Play, that encourage collaborative play and interaction with aided AAC.
3. Naturalistic AAC intervention: Educators use play-based naturalistic instruction to model and teach social communication and language skills for the student with autism using aided AAC.

This presentation will (1) introduce the Enhancing Peer Networks Project, including by teaching about each intervention component, (2) share a description of the methods and findings of our research, focusing specifically on the most recent evaluation of the full intervention with 17 students with autism, their peers, and their educational teams, and (3) share practical resources and online tools that attendees can use to implement intervention strategies.

Importantly, our research findings have shown positive impact on students with autism and peers, including for improving students’ social communication and language skills, as well as their engagement and relationships with peers. Through this presentation, attendees will have the opportunity to learn about and use implementation tools (e.g., lesson plans, implementation guides, student materials) and view and discuss real-world video examples of the intervention. Participants can expect to leave with knowledge of how to better support positive peer relationships and social communication for children with autism who use or would benefit from AAC.

Chung, Y. C., Carter, E. W., & Sisco, L. G. (2012). Social interactions of students with disabilities who use augmentative and alternative com-munication in inclusive classrooms. American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 117, 349–367. https://doi.org/10.1352/1944-7558-117.5.349

Rubin, K. H., Coplan, R. J., & Bowker, J. C. (2009). Social withdrawal in childhood. Annual review of psychology, 60, 141–171. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.psych.60.110707.16364 2