Social-communicative interactions of preschool children with developmentaldelays in integrated settings: An exploratory study

This exploratory study compared the social-communicative performance of six preschool children with developmental delays during free play in both main stream and reverse integration program settings. It included an analysis of attention-getting devices as a strategy for optimizing the success of soci al-communicative interactions. Performance was similar across settings. Nei ther setting appeared to promote adequate rates of initiating and respondin g. The use of attention-getting devices by children and conversational part ners increased the number of successful interactions and should be encourag ed as an intervention strategy regardless of integration setting.