Argues that processes of evaluating and assigning membership of categories within given collectives may be identified as operating across diverse social contexts. The maintenance of social identity boundaries is dependent on "knowing" the status of one's own category membership and accomplishing this membership through the interactional work of…

This study examined discourse cohesion in young normal (n=8), specifically language-impaired (n=8), or autistic (n=10) children (ages 3-7). Results showed all three groups used the same cohesion strategies with similar patterning. Significant group differences were found in the overall rate of correct use and in the use of individual cohesive…

This study investigated whether an empirically derived interaction style improves the usefulness of language sampling and transcription in 17 young children with developmental disabilities. The use of wh-questions was effective in producing proportionally more transcribable utterances and a larger sample of productive vocabulary. There were no…

Two adults with developmental disabilities were trained to increase their prompt and polite acknowledgments of coworker initiations by means of daily review of interactions of the previous day which had been recorded. The review included self-evaluation, praise, corrective feedback, and role-play. Behavior changes were maintained during follow-up…

The study observed interactions of mothers and infants in the homes of 20 families with infants having cerebral palsy (CP) and developmental delay and 20 families of nonhandicapped infants. Among findings were that mothers of CP infants were more verbally and physically directive and engaged in fewer positive behaviors in their initiation and…

Evaluation of ascribed, parent-mediated child care roles of younger same-sex siblings of children with mental retardation (n=32) found role reversals evident in the sibling pairs consistent with roles assumed by siblings during observed interactions. Increased younger sibling child care roles were related to less conflicted sibling relationships.…

This study compared efforts to regain their infants' visual attention of 40 mothers (either deaf or hearing) and 40 9-month-old infants (either deaf or hearing). Findings indicated a greater reliance by deaf mothers on visual strategies to regain infant attention and a greater emphasis on vocalizations by hearing mothers, regardless of infant…

Presents a qualitative analysis of one aspect of interviewer-candidate interaction, i.e., the types of linguistic and interfactional support that the native speaker interlocutor provides to the nonnative speaker candidate in a one-on-one interview. Results indicate there are eight types of interlocutor support, a positive finding. (63 references)…

Comparison of communication between hearing mothers and their deaf or hearing children (n=80) at child-ages 22 months and 3 years found most of the differences in communication by mothers of deaf and hearing children seemed attributable to the deaf children's linguistic delays. Results suggest that intervention efforts should focus on fostering…

Level of spontaneous social initiating by three adult caregivers toward a youth with autism was studied during a program to increase the youth's level of social initiating. The youth's social initiations toward each adult were systematically reinforced. Frequency of spontaneous initiating toward the youth increased for each adult as the youth's…

This article integrates the literature on group interaction process analysis and group learning, providing a framework for understanding how patterns of interaction develop. The model proposes how adaptive, generative, and transformative learning processes evolve and vary in their functionality. Environmental triggers for learning, the group's…

In an earlier publication, we presented the Diagnostic Intervention Model, which can be used as a guide in the design and conduct of interventions to foster harmonious interactions between children who are deaf-blind and their educators. This article demonstrates the use of the model in everyday practice and the effects of its application in two…

Background: Traditional approaches to race in the United States have located race in individuals and groups and reduced the ambiguities of interaction to differences in attitudes, levels of awareness, and stages of identity development. Alternatively, locating race in social stratification has made it an over-determined product of inequalities in…

Experiments in bilingual education in Europe increasingly appear under the abbreviation "CLIL" (Content and Language Integrated Learning). The main concept in it seems to be that of integration, as yet little described in research and insufficiently made conscious and explicit in the teaching process. This paper aims at studying the…

This qualitative research was designed to understand how the social integration process in the workplace unfolds with adults who have intellectual disabilities. Participant observation and interviews permitted an in-depth examination of 10 integration situations within a company, with regard for the actions and perceptions of the stakeholders.…