1. Lil’ LINKS
Peer to Peer Support

2. Overview of Peer to Peer Support
Why is peer to peer support important?
What do we need to do to start a peer to peer support program?
Recruitment, Training and Maintenance
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3. Why peer to peer support in important.
Prevalence of ASD is now 1:88
More children with disabilities are being educated in regular classrooms
Research demonstrates that peer to peer support benefits both sets of peers
The ultimate goal if for every person to be able to participate in their local community

4. Peer support vs. Aide support
Aide support is provided by a paid adult
Peer support is provided by other students
Aide support is focused on helping the child with academic skills
Peer support is focused on helping the child with ASD learn social norms
Aide support costs money.
Peer support is free (we can afford free!)

5. Teaching the Hidden Curriculum
Why social skills matter

6. Kids will learn what is socially appropriate from other kids!

7. Peer to Peer Support Programs
Teach general education students about autism spectrum disorders (otherwise kids will form their own conclusions about why students behave a certain way). Develop tolerance and acceptance with the general education population. Give students with autism a chance to practice social skills in all settings within the building which helps built social competence.

8. Types of Peer Support Peer befriending or buddy systems Peer listening
Circle of friends
Peer Mentoring
Peer Mediation
Peer Advocacy
Peer Education
Peer Tutoring

9. What Will it Look Like at Kids and Company?
Present it to the children as “being a friend” or being a “special friend” to another child
In addition to helping children through these social scenarios, it can also be informal experiences such as: Link helping friends with cleaning up, getting coat on, play on playground, etc
Essentially an Anti-bullying program
Similar to Conscious Discipline, but more intentional approach

10. Utilizing Peer Support at Various Grade Levels
Preschool and Early Childhood
Buddy system: Being a Friend
Elementary
Peer assisted learning. Paired for reading, writing, spelling, math….
Junior High and High School
Sharing class materials
Helping to participate in group activities
Sharing class notes
Clarifying and explaining class notes
Interaction Prompts

11. Other great peer to peer resources
Autism Internet Modules (
Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence Disabilities (
The National Professional Development Center on ASD (
National Standards Project (

12. Parent Resources
National Association for the Education of Young Children
The Council for Exceptional Children 
National Support America
Special Quest
National Children’s Bureau-publications

13. References
Casey, A., McWilliam, R., & Sims, J. (2012). Contributions of Incidental Teaching, Developmental Quotient, and Peer Interactions to Child Engagement. Infants & Young Children: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Early Childhood Intervention, Volume 25 (2),
Children with Autism: Review of Available Research and Recommendations for Educational Intervention and Future Research. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders Vol 32 (5)  
Goldstein, H. & Thiemann-Bourque, K. (2012) Come Stay, Play, Talk With Me. ASHA Leader, January 2012, 10-13

14. References cont.
Goldstein, H., English, K., Shafer, K., & Kaczmarek, L. (1997). Interaction among preschoolers with and without disabilities: Effects of across- the- day peer interaction. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 40,
Grand Valley State University START (Statewide Autism Resources and Training)
McConnell, Scott R. (October 2002). Interventions to Facilitate Social Interaction for Young