Conference presentation: Study of undergraduate peer mentors

Laura T. Eisenman, Associate Professor in University of Delaware’s School of Education, Wendy Claiser and Debbie Bain from Center for Disability Studies, and Linda Grusenmeyer from DERDC presented preliminary data from their study examining the experiences of undergraduate who serve as peer mentors to students with intellectual disabilities on campus at the University of Delaware. Their presentation was at the 2011 State of the Art Conference on Postsecondary Education and Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities held November 3-4 at George Mason University in Fairfax, VA. The study is one part of a national demonstration project, Transition and Postsecondary program for Students with Intellectual Disabilities (TPSID), funded by US Department of Education designed to expand postsecondary options for young adults with intellectual disabilities.

Peer mentors are a critical feature of postsecondary education programs for students with intellectual disabilities. They often engage and support students with ID across variety of campus environments to promote their greater participation and opportunities for integration. Eisenman, Bain, and Claiser have developed and offered a three-credit experiential learning course in the school of education to help future educators and human services professional learn to become peer mentors.  The study proposes to examine the experiences of initial cohorts of peer mentors in order to determine what resources they bring to the mentoring experience and how they describe their experience and their concerns while becoming peer mentors. Preliminary information has already guided course development and expanded planning for greater options for student roles as peer mentors.

 As the university’s TPSID program matures, the study will shift its focus from the development of peer mentors to their impact. What evidence is there that students develop effective attitudes, practices, and skills for mentoring a student with intellectual disabilities?   What impacts, if any, do peer mentors have on successful integration and participation of students enrolled in the CLSC program?

DERDC graduate research assistant, Mary Culnane is also working on the evaluation of the peer mentor project.