Use of a peer support intervention for promoting academic engagement of students with autism in general education settings.

Van Hanegem et al. (2014) set up a peer support plan in three general-ed third-grade rooms.

Each room had one student with high-functioning autism who often drifted off task.

Typical classmates were taught to give gentle reminders, share notes, and praise on-task behavior.

The researchers tracked off-task minutes during regular lessons for each student.

Off-task behavior dropped in every student as soon as peers started helping.

Gains held steady for the rest of the school year.

Teachers said the class ran more smoothly and no extra adult was needed.

The idea is not new. Jones et al. (1992) first showed that quick peer social-skills groups at recess lifted interaction for kids with autism.

Lowe et al. (1995) then proved classmates can deliver PRT and spark complex play.

E et al. move the same peer-power logic into academic work time and target off-task behavior instead of social skills.

Haas et al. (2019) later mapped out full class-wide peer tutoring for reading, showing the concept keeps expanding.

You can cut disruptive, off-task moments without adding paraprofessionals.

Pick two willing classmates, give them a short script, and let them cue and praise.

The student with autism stays in the lesson, and the whole class keeps flowing.