Citation

Harper LV, McCluskey KS. Early Child Res. Q. 2003; 18(2): 163-184.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2003, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/S0885-2006(03)00025-5

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

We conducted real-time analyses of the videotaped free play of 24, 3-4-year-olds, half of whom had disabilities, in four University-sponsored, inclusive, child-centered preschool classrooms. There were 7-10, 20-minute observations for each child. Despite significant differences related to child condition in the frequencies of interactions with peers and one-on-one with adults, the same pattern obtained for both groups: Across observations, the proportions of time that each child spent interacting with peers and with adults were negatively correlated for 21 of the 24 children. Analyses of event-sequences revealed that adults were more likely than expected by chance to initiate interactions with a child when s/he was alone and less likely to do so when s/he was interacting with a peer. Within-child patterns of choices also indicated that, after an adult had initiated an interaction with them, the children were less likely to initiate an interaction with a peer and more likely than expected to initiate another interaction with an adult. Additional, exploratory analyses yielded results consistent with the view that some kinds of exchanges with adults may interfere with peer interactions. Implications both for theory and for planning curricula are discussed.