Student participation during and subsequent to an ethnographic study of peer collaboration in a primary classroom is explored through a long-term investigation. The original study was designed to study patterns of collaboration using a variety of techniques including interviews with the children, first seen in a split grade one and grade two classroom. Interviews illustrate how capable the children were, even at a young age, of providing insight and interpretation by reflecting on classroom activities. Children were presented with the data, including videotapes, after 1 year, and when they were in grade six. Eight of the original 15 students saw the early videotapes and commented on their behavior and collaborative patterns. Results indicate that children can be excellent contributors to the research pattern even at a young age, and that videotaped data provide a wonderful way for examining events retrospectively. Rather than merely having children participate in the validation of interpretations, researchers might consider having them involved in the framing and directing of questions from the beginning of research. (Contains 18 references.) (SLD)