Amy D Diamond

Characteristics, Methods, & Assessment: Introduction to Struggling Learners & Student with High-Incidence
Disabilities
Evidence Based Practices

Reflection

Artifact #1 is the Evidence Based Practices assignment from class SPED730, Characteristics,

Methods, and Assessment Introduction to Struggling Learners & Students with High Incidence

Disabilities. It is being substituted in place of the requested Teacher Interview assignment. The

purpose of the Evidence Based Practices assignment was to select an article pertaining to an area

of interest that was based on an evidence based practice. I read and completed a written

summary of the article. Next, I created and presented a narrated presentation describing the

practice and its implications for the classroom. I selected Peer Mediated Intervention as my

evidence based practice. I used an article written by Robertson, Green, Alper, Schloss, & Kohler

describing using this particular intervention in inclusive childcare activities.

In my narrative, I would revise by adding some content. I would like to cite some articles

that demonstrate the effectiveness and benefits of peer mediated interventions, specifically in the

early childhood setting.

This assignment allowed me to analyze in depth an evidence based practice that is

directly applicable to my current setting. I learned how to specifically implement the practice

and why it is beneficial to use this practice. This assignment also helped me to explore the

concept of inclusion. The authors denote at the beginning of the article that inclusion is more

than students simply being in the same proximity of one another. For students with disabilities

to benefit from the influence of peers, conditions must be structured to elicit that outcome. Peer

mediated interventions provided those conditions to help students with disabilities gain the

greatest benefit from the inclusive setting. I have begun to integrate these strategies in my early

childhood special education classroom. I pair peer models with peers with disabilities during our
Amy D Diamond
Characteristics, Methods, & Assessment: Introduction to Struggling Learners & Student with High-Incidence
Disabilities
Evidence Based Practices
small groups and encourage them to demonstrate the expected behaviors at each center. Peers

also help students with disabilities follow our routines by modeling, helping students navigate

the environment and referring to visual schedules. I have witnessed first hand the effectiveness

of using specific peer mediated strategies in the inclusive classroom!