PROMOTING SOCIAL-INTERACTION BETWEEN YOUNG-CHILDREN WITH HEARING IMPAIRMENTS AND THEIR PEERS

The study examined the effects of two interventions on the peer social interaction of 105 young children with and without hearing impairment s. Total positive peer interaction and interaction of children with pe ers of different hearing status increased from preintervention to post intervention but decreased after the intervention was withdrawn. The i ntegrated-activities intervention resulted in greater gains in total p ositive peer interaction than the social skills intervention. Children with hearing impairments interacted as frequently with their same-sta tus peers as did the children without hearing impairments with their s ame-status peers. Results indicate the benefits of long-term intervent ions conducted within small, stable groups of children with and withou t hearing impairments.