A dissertation completed at
The Center for Education, Widener University,
One University Place, Chester, PA 19013 		 
IMPROVING THE SOCIAL SKILLS BEHAVIORS OF CHILDREN WITH LEARNING DISABILITIES IN THE INCLUSIVE CLASSROOM
Tracy E. Trupp, Ed. D.
March 1999

RETURN
edited 01/11/01

 


ABSTRACT

Students with learning disabilities have traditionally been educated in selfcontained settings. Many difficulties exhibited by these students such as low academic success, behavioral problems, as well as difficulties with communication and anger and aggression have kept them segregated from the general education population. With the paradigm shift toward inclusion, these students are now being integrated into general education classrooms, but not without some uncertainty as to whether they can be successful.

The researcher in this study addressed the following questions in order to draw conclusions about how to best accommodate learning disabled children in inclusive classrooms.
1. What variables influence the social behavior of students with learning disabilities in an inclusive environment?
2. What strategies do teachers believe are most effective in promoting positive social behavior in children with learning disabilities in inclusive classrooms?
3. What strategies do students with learning disabilities consider as most effective in promoting their own positive behavior?
4. What concerns do students with learning disabilities have regarding their classroom behavior?

In order to answer these questions, a comparative case study analysis was conducted. Students with learning disabilities at the 4th, 5th, and 6th grade level was the population from which nine subjects were selected. These nine subjects had imilar negative social behaviors exhibited in the areas of social competence, classroom conduct, communication abilities, as well as in the ability to control anger 4.and aggression. Teachers in these classrooms employed extensive pro-social skills trategies with the help of a social skills curriculum. These stratecies intended to iv enable students with learning disabilities to more successfully integrate into a general education environment.

The strategies, which were taught and reinforced by the classroom teacher were assessed to determine whether they resulted in successful social experiences both in and out of the classroom setting. The methods of naturalistic observation, interviews, and behavioral/social rating scales were used in this study.

The significance of this study was to show how students with learning disabilities, who exhibit negative social skills behaviors, could be more successful in the inclusive classroom. This study also attempted to determine which strategies were most effective in improving such behaviors, allowing these students to be better served in such an educational environment.

Based on the findings of this study, it was found that students with learning disabilities did benefit from a structured social skills program. This curriculum offered them the necessary tools to be more successful in the inclusive classroom. It was found, however, that the degree of their improvement was, in part, due to the increased amount of teacher interaction and support.

It can be concluded from the data collected throughout this study that the students showed some improvement in their social skills behaviors due to the structured social skills curriculum. Although many variables effected their social behaviors in the classroom, increased teacher interaction had a positive effect on the degree of their successfulness in such an environment. It was also concluded that although the students began to effectively use the social skills strategies, there was a lack of generalizability to other situations outside of the classroom.

It is the researcher's recommendation that this study be conducted for a longer period of time throughout the school year allowing the students a better opportunity to learn, use, and generalize the social skill strategies. It is also recommended that teachers in the inclusive classroom setting increase their amount of interactions with those students who have learning disabilities as well as any of the students who exhibit negative social behaviors in the classroom.

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