What guidelines should teachers follow when facilitating interaction between students with disabilities and their typically developing classmates?
In order to effectively facilitate relationships between students, it is crucial to truly believe the student with disabilities would make a great friend. When teachers appreciate the gifts a student has to offer, they can help others recognize and prize them as well. By focusing on a student’s unique personality, rather than her labels, a teacher can debunk the prejudice that separates “those who are like us and those who are not.” Occasionally, practicing these beliefs may not be enough to ensure enviable relationships for some students. In these instances, a dedicated facilitator can be enlisted to assist the teacher and family to intentionally promote the development of relationships between students. The facilitator should get to know the student by spending time with her and interviewing the people in her life in order to identify her interests, fears, and dreams. The facilitator should keep this information in mind while enlisting selected classmates to brainstorm ways for the s
