Enhancing classroom participation of students with intellectual and developmental disabilities

Background. Students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) have been found to participate less in school-based activities. Purpose. This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of a combined in-service and collaborative consultation intervention model for enhancing classroom participation of students with IDD. Method. The Collaborative Consultation for Participation of Students With IDD (Co-PID) program involved a multidisciplinary team (an occupational therapist and 17 teachers) as well as 35 students and was compared to an in-service program (20 teachers and 34 students). Students were 8 to 20 years old. The programs aimed to enhance three classroom participation components: communicating, choosing, and initiating. Findings. The Co-PID was found to significantly improve students' participation in all areas, whereas the participation of the students in the in-service group decreased. Implications. A school-based multidisciplinary intervention program for students with IDD, combining in-service and collaborative consultation (e.g., Co-PID), may assist in enhancing classroom participation among students with IDD.