What should I do if my child doesn't interact with other kids at school?

Sometimes, students with disabilities are “islands in the mainstream” in their classroom — surrounded by kids but not interacting with them. Inclusion is the process of adapting the learning environment to make a classroom where all students can be successful and experience belonging. Inclusion isn’t going to be beneficial just because the child is in a general education classroom. There also need to be inclusive practices in place. Here are a few things parents can explore:

• Behavioral interventions that build on relationships
• Utilizing peer support or peer mentoring in structured interactions with other students, such as having a classroom job, a specific role in group work, or a buddy pair
• Assistive technology that bridges the gap between the child’s ability and their inclusion in whole-class activities
• Accommodations for communication, such as AAC, sign language, or PECS, and the other kids in the class can be trained on how to collaborate with a student with a very different communication style

For more ideas, see our articles What to Do When “Inclusion” Isn’t Working and Socialization Goals in the IEP.