Integrated Play Groups for Children with Pervasive Development Disorders: Modalities for Participation and Perception by Ordinary Peers
Studies have shown that Integrated Play Groups (Wolfberg & Schuler, 1992; Wolfberg, 2003) are efficient in increasing autistic children's play skills and social interactions. However, few studies have tried to explain the typical peer's perceptions toward their participation in the role of expert players. This article presents implementation methods in a Quebec's elementary school and the perceptions of six students who come from regular classrooms. Data collected with observations and semi-structured interviews indicate a general appreciation of their experience in the Integrated Play Groups. Moreover, some observations and interview's results highlight suggestions relevant to a future implementation.