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Annotated Bibliography: AT/AAC
Topic: Peer-Mediated Instruction and Interventions
Campbell, B., Brady, M. & Linehan, S. (1991). Effects of peer-mediated instruction on the
acquisition and generalization of written capitalization skills. Journal of Learning
Disabilities, 24 (1), 6-14.
The authors of this study used peer-mediated writing instruction to assess written capitalization
and the generalization of this skill in three 9-year-old students with moderate disabilities.
Following the current research, Campbell and colleagues were interested in applying researchvalidated peer-mediated instruction to an academic skill with an eye to generalization. They also
assessed the impact of this approach on the peer tutors’ writing skills. While there were many
limitations to this study, the authors found that students’ written capitalization generally
increased with the use of peer mediated instruction and, using a three-week maintenance
procedure with weekly follow-up probes, found that generalization did occur. Some peer tutors
also acquired greater facility with the target skill as a result of the intervention. In addition to
extending previous research on peer-mediated instruction and identifying a range of further
research directions, Campbell and colleagues concluded that this strategy has promise for
increasing the achievement of all types of learners in varied settings. They also outline benefits
for educators such as additional time for teaching all students and increasing feedback and
opportunities to respond for students with high needs.
King-Sears, M. (2001). Institutionalizing peer-mediated instruction and intervention in schools:
Beyond “train and hope.” Remedial and Special Education, (22) 2, 89-101.
In this article, King-Sears puts forth an adamant position on the gap between research and
practice in contemporary education. Her view is that systems-change is needed in order to foster
the development of promising practices in special education, such as peer-mediated instruction
and interventions (PMII). Advocating for a meaningful dialogue between researcher and
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practitioner, she focuses on research-validated forms of PMII, such as Peer-Assisted Learning
Strategies (PALS), ClassWide Peer Tutoring (CWPT) and Collaborative Strategic Reading
(CSR). The goal of this paper is to move from talk to action as King-Sears examines the factors
that affect the institutionalization of an educational practice (in this case PMII). She outlines the
mechanics of systems change and explores the challenges and triumphs of such long-term work,
emphasizing the importance of programming for generalization from the outset (an interesting
reflection of a practice typically applied to intervening with high-needs learners).
Peck, J., Sasso, G., & Jolivette, K. (1997). Use of the structural analysis hypothesis testing model
to improve social interactions via peer-mediated intervention. Focus on Autism and Other
Developmental Disabilities, (12) 4, 219-230.
This paper examines the use of structural analysis as a method for bolstering the effectiveness of
peer-mediated social interventions for students with disabilities. Structural analysis is defined as
identifying antecedents and contexts likely to predict desired behavioral outcomes. As such, this
tool is used to frame an intervention involving peer social supports for 5 students with
disabilities, aged 9-11, during non-academic times. Using an alternating treatment design, the
researchers implemented peer-mediated social interventions under favorable and unfavorable
antecedent conditions. They found that a close examination of antecedent conditions (structural
analysis) was beneficial in predicting desired social outcomes for students. The use of peers
(versus adults) is considered a natural and more easily generalizable strategy for orienting
learners toward the goal of social competence. Despite generally positive results, the researchers
did not address treatment fidelity in their study nor did they provide a thorough appraisal of the
limitations of their research.
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Trembath, D., Balandin, S., Togher, L. & Stancliffe, R. (2009). Peer-mediated teaching and
augmentative and alternative communication for preschool-aged children with autism.
Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, (34) 2, 173-186.
This study endeavors to determine the effects of both peer-mediated social supports and AAC
implementation on the communication of preschool children with autism. Implemented in 3
inclusive preschools in Australia, this study aims to measure the ability of both conditions (peer
mediated naturalistic teaching with and without a Speech Generation Device- SGD) to increase
communicative behaviors. Peer mediators were trained to interact with peers with disabilities
during playtime (treatment condition) and snack (generalization probe) and were trained to offer
and demonstrate the use of a novel AAC device (Talara 32 SGD). The researchers found that
students’ communicative behavior increased with naturalistic peer teaching but that these skills
did not necessarily generalize. The limitations of this study along with the problem of skill
maintenance require readers to approach these results with caution. Fortunately, the authors do a
thorough job of discussing these limiting factors and provide ideas for further research directions
that address them.
Weiner, J. (2005). Peer-mediated conversational repair in students with moderate and severe
disabilities. Research and Practice for Persons with Severe Disabilities, (30) 1, 26-37.
In this paper, Weiner addresses the problem of conversational repair and social skill development
in students ages 6-12 with disabilities. Using trained peer partners, Weiner hopes to direct and
improve conversational interactions by giving non-disabled peers a context and a toolkit for
handling breakdowns in communication (which are common with high-needs students).
Following a multiple baseline design with generalization probes, Weiner measures unintelligible
responses, requests for repair, repair responses and conversational turns as indicators of
communication quality during structured interactions in a special education classroom. Several
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positive outcomes are noted along with many considerations that point toward future research
directions. The promise of improving conversational skills is seen as an integral aspect of social
competence and an important goal for all communicators. By training peers, this study asserts
that meaningful interaction can lead to communicative awareness and even generalization of
social skills. Citing possible treatment diffusion and lack of opportunity as limitations to this
study, Weiner advocates for a strengthening of the research base through further exploration of
typical peers as co-participants in natural social contexts.