Social Integration of School Age ESN(S) Children in a Regular School

Eleven children classified as severely mentally handicapped were observed after a paper and pencil sociometric test given to non-handicapped children in the school to determine their true level of socialisation with their non-handicapped peers. the social play interactions were categorised on an adapted version of the Parten Social Participation Scale. It was shown that, by utilising non-handicapped children in a peer tutor programme, there was a significant increase in associative and cooperative play whilst there was a significant decrease in the level of negative attention-seeking and inappropriate behaviours.