This study evaluated the effect of the type of peer group on behaviors associated with the happiness of five students with profound multiple disabilities. An alternating treatments design (ATD) was used to compare students' happiness behaviors (smiles, eyes open) during small group activities conducted with peers with disabilities and typical peers. Teacher behavior, time of day, position of the child, materials, activities, number of peers in each group, and the peers comprising the groups for each condition were controlled. Results indicated higher levels of happiness behaviors with typical peers than with peers with disabilities across all five students. Implications for placement and instruction are discussed.
This article describes a process for customizing instruction for students with profound multiple disabilities that has been used to design instructional programs and maximize the attainment of functional outcomes for students. The process focuses on collaborative teamwork and problem solving to design and implement instructional programs by ensuring that the 5 components of the process are included. Team members determine (a) prepositioning handling procedures; (b) overall body positioning for instruction; (c) hand, arm, and head positioning; (d) instructional adaptations and materials; and (e) handling procedures to combine with systematic instructional strategies.Providing a quality educational program for students with profound multiple disabilities that is functional, integrated, and outcome oriented can be extremely difficult and complicated for educators and related services personnel. Students with profound multiple disabilities have impairments that are "serious and dramatic, and they may include signifi- EXCEPTIONALITY, 9(3),[135][136][137][138][139][140][141][142][143][144][145]
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