Megan Lambert HHPK 274 Interview Assignment (2) November 16, 2013 As a part of my undergraduate thesis, I am conducting several

interviews with individuals who have high-incidence disabilities about their experiences with peer acceptance (or popularity) in middle and/ or high school. Despite what some may believe about peer acceptance among these individuals (they are unpopular, more severe disabilities are among the least popular in the school, inclusion statues are helping increase peer acceptance for these students, etc), research is painting a different picture. In particular, students report feeling more acceptance among their peers in a more inclusive environment, according to studies, as well as having more friends who have disabilities as opposed to peers who do not. Considering that putting students in the least restrictive environment has been mandated since 1975 and yet research on social benefit is relatively negative, I am excited to interview individuals who were affected by this directly, to investigate my participants views on their experiences. What follows below is a partial, verbatim transcript of my interview with participant 4: I: Okay [] So, how was being served in special education in middle school affected your friendships, if it did affect them? 4: Um [] I would say in some ways, I mean, I still had friends, but [] you know, it was different where I struggled with reading and understanding, they were already [] they were already, like [] they read books, and they could talk about it, but I couldnt, because I couldnt read. I: Right. 4: And, um, you know, they [] definitely, you know. It was definitely where [] its not that I dont think people ostracized, but it was just, we couldnt share experiences, because, I couldnt. I couldnt read, and they read, and, you know, they went on and were a part of different classes that I couldnt be a part of. But [] like that. I: How much emphasis did you place on friendship, like in middle school, do you remember? 4: Um [] I would say [] somewhat, um [] I mean, friendships are always important [] I: Yeah 4: I think they are [] as a child, Im sure I put quite a bit [] I think as a child you always put a lot of emphasis on it, because thats where you spend the majority of your time, you know. And so, thats your life, and [] I mean, its not like I didnt have friends []

I: Yeah, Yeah. 4: And, you know. But, it was just, you know. They were a part of something that I couldnt be a part of, so. I: Okay [] and, during middle school [] did you have any so-called best friends[]? 4: Yes. I: And, if so [] what made those people closer to you than some of the others? 4: Um, I could say, like, in middle school [] it was funny, because I had a best friend, a different best friend every year, until [] until eighth grade. And [] I really [] I cant even tell you who my best friends were. I mean, thats well, I [] I really dont even remember. Um, in sixth and seventh grade, but []. So, I mean, in sixth and seventh grade, that was the end of Alpha Phonics, and then in eighth grade, [] I can definitely say in eighth grade, when I was no longer in Alpha Phonics, that I did create stronger friendships, um, because I did, make a friend, that I [] we [] were still friends to this day, and its been twenty years[] I: Yeah. 4: So [] so I dont really [] I wish I could remember more, but I dont. I mean, its been [] I: Yeah 4: I mean, its been twenty years, so [] [laughter] I: Yeah. 4: You know? [laughter] But, but yes. I think [] I can say I really, I really didnt have close friends when I was [] during those years, so [] I; Did you feel like you had to put more [] effort forth to gain friends, or to be accepted by some of the other kids [] 4: Um I: [] in middle school? 4: [] I think, if anything, it was probably [] it was probably that we just didnt share the same experiences. You know, they [] we just werent on the same paths, and it was hard [] its hard to be a part of a [] a group that you dont all do the same things, or have the same experiences in a way, so [] if that makes sense []

I: Yeah, um [] but, overall, you didnt feel like you were a part of the same experiences as the other peers, even just [] with being in one class different? 4: Yeah, I would [] I would kind of say so, I mean [] I can say for myself, because of [] I remember sixth grade, because I struggled so hard with reading, that thats all I could think about, was that [] overcoming that, and being able to participate. And, um [..] you know. And I could say, like, with my friends, I, I remember one girl, um, her [] she was friends with other girls, but [] but they all had the same experiences, you know. They were all involved in the same classes, and [] where I could be involved, but not really. Because [] it was just [] something that, that really did affect, you know, that, to have a close bond, because youre not there with every class, or, youre not a part of everything. And so, it really did affect [] I-I mean, I can really say it really did affect friendships, you know. Being able to build it. I: I could probably [] figure out the answer, but, um, if you hadnt been receiving [] special education services, such as with Alpha Phonics [] 4: Uh huh [] I: [] do you think you would have been more accepted by your peers? 4: Um, I [] I think so. Cause I remember in fourth grade, before I started special education, I was very close. I had a lots of close friends, we were involved in everything together, um [] you know. And, I could say, yes, because I did. I mean, we were very [] there was a close knit of us. But then, once I was removed from those classes with them, it was like I had no friends, so [] And then, I can say, from kindergarten to fourth grade, I had the same group of friends. And then, from fifth grade, to seventh grade, I didnt have [] I- I didnt have [] I-I had different friends every year. And, then in eighth grade it[] I had the same- from eighth grade until I graduated I had the same group of friends. So, yes, I [] theres definitely a pattern there of [] I: Yeah [] 4: [] The three years that I was in Alpha Phonics, um [] whether it was my own self -esteem, you know, because of being in the class, or shared experiences, or [] um, or any stigma that was placed on me, I-I mean, I didnt go around asking, do you know if Im in Alpha Phonics? I: [laughter] 4: But, um [] so, yeah. I: Um, this might sound weird, but, um [] do you think you would have been more accepted if you were in a more restrictive placement? Like, removed more from the

general classroom? 4: Um, no. Absolutely not. Cause then [] yeah. No. I mean, looking back [] it was hard to have to go through the class, like, socially. I: Mmmhm. 4: But, I can say now, twenty years later, Im thankful. I mean, I dont know [] I dont think there would have been [] I dont know if there is a way to incorporate what this help that I needed with everybody else, because [] I mean, they really broke down the entire alphabet, the English language all over again. And, uh, I dont know if there is a better way to do it [] I: Yeah. 4: But I can say Im thankful, even though it might have been hard for those three years, Im thankful that- that my parents chose to put me in the class, um, and Im thankful that the teachers, that the teacher went through the program and made me go through it. And, now Im thankful, cause I can read to this day, you know. I can definitely see a, um [] whereas, like, my parents, whove never got the help they needed, they- they still struggle. I: Yeah 4: You know. And, thankfully [] you know. Thankfully, I did get the help I needed, so. I dont know, its just kind of [] I wouldnt trade it. Because, Im thankful I can read. I: Yeah. 4: Im thankful that I can [] write, and spell, and [] you know. Basic [] you know. So, if three years of social life is what I had to pay t- for [] um, some great skills [] it may not be worth- it might, be worth the sacrifice, so. I: Were you able to, or did you participate in any, like, after-school clubs, or [] go to any, like [] 4:Um.. I: Anything like that? 4: No, no. I didnt. I didnt. I: Um [] do you remember going to any, like, sporting events, or dances, or anything like [] 4: Um, I []

I: Like, the school-wide activities? 4: Yeah, I- I definitely went to the dances, um [] and I went to the- my brother was in football []and so, um, I would go to the football games with- because my brother played, um [] but I wasnt [] I think [] I dont think I was in any sports [] pretty sure I wasnt. I-I was in [] basketball and softball one time, but I think that was, uh [] before [] or duri- I dont remember. But [] I: Yeah 4: You know. I wasnt. So. I. Were you victimized during middle and/ or high school? Do you believe this victimization was due in any part to your disability status? 4: No, no. I: Okay. 4: I mean, I was chubby, so, I mean, probably. Not from my learning disability, but maybe, you know, for being chubby, but, you know.

Going over this interview involves a lengthy coding process, but even initially, I can tell a lot from my subjects responses. The individual I interviewed did not seem to place a lot of emphasis on her friendships or other social interactions with others as I was expecting. Even with just interviewing other people for the study, I have seen a lot more emphasis on social interactions from others. I think some of this may be in due part to how the individual had matured since the events that had transpired in the interview- while recalling loosing friends in middle school, she was standing in front of me as a wife and mother of two. This is showing me that time has done some to help any wounds that have been caused (which seems to be reinforced by the subjects own proclamation of how paying for special education with 3 years of social life was more than worth it to her in the long run. Another idea I see here is just the subjects lack of interest in being around peers in general (i.e., not wanting to participate in after school clubs or place great emphasis on football games or dances). This may be in line with some of the research coming out concerning social difficulties for students with learning disabilities. Though not as severe as a student on the autism spectrum or with another disability, students with more high-incidence problems have been shown to have some difficulties interacting with peers, which is precisely what I wanted to look at with my study. I also wanted to look at a peculiar phenomenon brought up by a couple of peer-reviewed studies in the past; the idea of students seeing themselves as more popular with their peers in a more restrictive environment, or having more friends who are disabled as opposed to peers who are not. This subject actually spoke out against both of these, seeming to say she would have rather been in general education classes as normal from a social standpoint at the time, though she really would

have rather been in the dyslexic intervention class as a grown woman, looking back on past events. Overall, conducting this interview has broadened my perspective on students with disabilities, moreso than when I had entered it. These individuals have many more identifiers than their disability status, and many of the issues a nondisabled person goes through are similar to what my interview subject did. The idea of being unable to move past a rude comment or a stigmatization in the media for a person with a disability is simply not true in every case. In the end, these individuals want to be treated just as anyone else would, because, for the most part, they are just like everyone else.