Fostering Successful Middle to High School Transition for Students With Disabilities Through Cross-Age Peer Mentoring

• In Event: Poster Session 8
  In Poster Session: Mentorship and Mentoring Practices SIG Poster Session

Abstract

Transition from middle school to high school can be difficult especially for students with disabilities. Research indicates self-determination skills help predict successful transitions for students with disabilities. A rural school district in Colorado implemented a cross-age peer mentoring program pairing high school students with disabilities who successfully completed an intensive self-determination course with 8th grade middle school students with disabilities. This study used a quasi-experimental design comparing the outcomes of 8th graders that received the intervention with those that did not. Findings revealed higher mean scores for students that received the intervention. Independent t-test showed a significant difference in five areas of self-determination and two areas of high school preparedness with high effect sizes.

Authors

• June Watters Gothberg, Western Michigan University

• Paula D. Kohler, Western Michigan University

• Lori Peterson, University of Northern Colorado