Social Interactions of Secondary Aged Students with Severe Handicaps: Implications for Facilitating the Transition from School to Work

This study describes the social interactions used by a

group of 10 secondary aged students with severe to profound mental retardation, using data

gathered through the use of narrative recording procedures. The students' interactions were

recorded during school arrival, lunch and vocational training. Results are presented along

three dimensions: task versus non-task interactions by condition. Results of teacher ratings

and parent interviews are also presented. Students interacted 99% of the time with other

adults. Students were involved primarily in task related interactions in which the purpose was

to direct, question or provide information. Even at lunch, which is primarily a social time for

nonhandicapped workers, interactions between teachers and students involved directions,

questions and information related to feeding or lunch programs. Though students were judged to

be in the fluency and maintenance stages of learning their jobs, they received even more

directions, praise and criticism in vocational contexts than in the other contexts. Results are

discussed with respect to the implications they have for facilitating the transition from school

to work (ERIC).