Peer Support: What Role Can the Internet Play?

INTRODUCTION Many young people with disabilities have few friends and limited support from peers (Gottlieb & Leyser, 1981). They often report feelings of rejection and isolation. The impact of social isolation is far-reaching, affecting not only friendships, but also academic and career success (Hawken, Duran, & Kelly, 1991). Ultimately, people with disabilities experience higher unemployment rates and lower earnings (McNeil, 1997). As the end of high school approaches, so does the termination of a structured environment and pre-college support systems (Burns, Armistead, & Keys, 1990). When compared to people without disabilities, people with disabilities are less prepared to meet the challenges of adulthood, more likely to continue to live with their parents after high school, and engage in fewer social activities (Moccia, Schumaker, Hazel, Vernon, & Deshler, 1989). Students with disabilities are rarely encouraged to prepare for challenging fields such as science, engineering and mathematics, and they are less likely to take the courses necessary to prepare for post-secondary studies in these areas (Burgstahler, 1994; Malcom & Matyas, 1991; National Science Foundation, 1997). Although higher education can enhance their employability and vocational success, fewer young adults with disabilities participate in post-secondary education and, of those who begin such programs, disabled students are more likely than non-disabled students to drop out of school prior to completion (DeLoach, 1992; Moccia et al; Wagner). Adolescents with disabilities who wish to attend college are often faced with responsibilities they are unprepared to meet because they are conditioned to depend on others, and they lack self-advocacy and independent-living skills (Transition summary, 1988). Those enrolled in college often hesitate to request the specific accommodations they need (Amsel & Fichten, 1990). The levels and types of resources available to students with disabilities change as students move from pre-college programs to post-secondary campuses and to employment situations, and programs to help bridge the gaps between these critical stages are rare. Students with disabilities can benefit from interactions with peers and adults with disabilities who are pursuing and participating in academic and career activities that they might otherwise have thought impossible for themselves. However, they are often isolated by great distances, transportation and scheduling challenges, communication limitations, and other obstacles that make it difficult for them to meet and interact in person (Aksamit, Leuenberger, & Morris, 1987; Brown & Foster, 1990). PEER SUPPORT Benefits from positive relationships with others exist for everyone, including people with disabilities. Many types of relationships are important to development - parents, siblings, grandparents, friends, and adult mentors all play key roles in people's lives. One approach to successfully integrating isolated students into academic environments is to help create informal peer support groups and friendships. Social support can ease the transition period following high school when a student's structured environment ends and many support systems are no longer in place (Burns, Armistead, & Keys, 1990; Ostrow, Paul, Dark, & Berhman, 1986, in Jacobi, 1991; Stainback, Stainback, & Wilkinson, 1992). Peers can serve some of the same important functions generally associated with adult mentors. Peers can act as role models; offer friendship, advice and information; promote a sense of belonging; and empower one another (Byers-Lang & McCall, 1993; Kram & Isabella, 1985; Stainback, Stainback, & Wilkinson, 1992 ). However, peer relationships tend to involve greater reciprocity and mutuality, encouraging each participant to be the giver as well as the receiver of support (Burns, Armistead & Keys, 1990; Kram & Isabella). …