What is it?
Peer supports for participation intentionally create opportunities for classmates to learn, communicate, collaborate, and participate together. Peers may support access by sharing information, modeling classroom routines, facilitating communication, collaborating on tasks, or helping adapt an activity so everyone can contribute. Effective peer support is reciprocal and relationship-based rather than positioning one student as a permanent helper and another as the recipient of help.
How to use it?
Design classroom activities that give learners meaningful reasons to interact and contribute to shared goals. Teach peers how to communicate accessibly, including allowing wait time, recognizing different communication methods, and speaking directly to the person rather than through an adult. Rotate roles, ensure each learner has meaningful responsibilities, and provide adult support without taking over peer interactions. Whenever possible, build peer supports into naturally occurring classroom structures rather than creating separate activities around a learner with a disability.
Why use it?
Participation in inclusive classrooms includes access to peers, relationships, and the social life of the classroom, not only access to academic content. Thoughtful peer supports can increase opportunities for communication, collaboration, belonging, and friendship while reducing unnecessary dependence on adults. Reciprocal approaches also help create classroom communities in which different ways of communicating and participating are expected and valued.
