Enhancing Rural Students¹Attitudes Toward Peers with Disabilities: A Comparison of Interventions

Abstract

This study investigated the impact of two widely used commercial programs designed to increase peer understanding and acceptance of elementary school-aged handicapped students. Second, fourth, and sixth graders from six rural school districts were used in the study. The Better Understanding of Disabled Youth (BUDY) program and the Lets Meet the New Kids on the Block (KOB) program were two treatments employed to determine whether positive gains in attitudes toward the disabled could be systematically attained. Furthermore, the two programs were compared to see if one was more effective in this regard. By employing an adaptation of the Acceptance Scale (Voeltz, 1981) as both a pre-test and post-test measure, changes in student attitudes were documented on a variety of survey items. While a variety of variables were tracked, the most meaningful differences occurred between students in different grade levels. It appeared that second grade children increased their acceptance toward their peers with disabilities more positively as a result of undergoing the KOB interventions, while the older intermediate level children increased their acceptance more positively as a result of completing the BUDY interventions. Implications of findings and recommendations for future research are discussed.

Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Puppet Shows on Attitudes toward and Knowledge of Individuals with Disabilities

“…Four studies were conducted in Canada and 21 studies were conducted in the United States. Ten studies were published in peer-reviewed journals (Baker, Rude, Sasso, & Weishahn, 1994;Binkard, 1985;Dunst, 2012;Gilfoyle & Gliner, 1985;Rosenbaum et al, 1986b;Snart & Maguire, 1986, 1987, whereas the other studies were reported either in dissertation or master theses (Baker, 1991;Illmann, 1990;Johnson, 1998;Powell, 1985;Russell, 1993;Schumacher, 1998;Thorton-Biddle, 1983;Zucker, 1988) or were conference presentations or unpublished articles (Anderson, Del-Val, Griffin, & McDonald, 1983;Chase, Lebewohl, Mulcahy, & Shiffer, 1983;PACER Center, 1986;Pendzick, 1983).…”

The Retreat From Inquiry and Knowledge in Special Education

“…Throughout the 1980s, there was a popular program designed to change the attitudes of nondisabled children toward those with disabilities called Kids on the Block (KOB; Aiello, 1980). KOB is a puppet show designed to provide positive information about persons with disabilities (Baker, Rude, Sasso, & Weishahn, 1994 (Greene & Shane, 1994). Therefore, KOB and facilitated communication appear to have at least this feature in common: They use props in an effort to change the way people think and feel about disabilities.…”