Young children are usually aware of the presence of a child with a disability, but may not feel comfortable approaching the child or know how to initiate interactions with a child who does not speak or move independently. Five important strategies for encouraging participation follow:

• Use a warm and accepting manner with children
  When a child with a severe disability initially enters an inclusive program, he or she typically receives considerable adult support. In fact, it is not uncommon for someone to act in the role of an "integration facilitator." At least initially, peers' perceptions of the child are influenced by the manner in which adults interact with the child with a disability as well as how an adult interacts with the typically developing peers who approach the child or are in near proximity. Obviously, a warm and accepting manner conveys the desirability of the child as a potential communication partner and makes both the adult and child more approachable.

• Encourage frequent brief interactions when initially introducing a child to his or her peers
  Since the child with a severe disability is often unable to initiate interactions in a traditional manner, an adult or peer partner must offer the initial invitation. One way to begin developing interaction patterns between children is to encourage brief interactions that match the interactions of other children in a setting. For example, when an adult is carrying the child across the room, he or she may stop by another child's table and say, "Jacob wanted to say hi!" One might also invite children to briefly stop to see an accomplishment of their classmate. For example, Jacob's teacher or facilitator might comment, "Jacob would like you to see the tower he just helped to build."

• Invite a child to become involved in an ongoing activity with their classmate
  Offer children in the classroom opportunities to participate in an ongoing activity along with their classmate. This allows children to become familiar with their peer who experiences a disability while focusing on the activity rather than the interaction. This manner of involving a child also allows him or her to comfortably decline the offer. For example, Maria, Jacob's teacher, might comment, "Jacob is matching the sound cylinders by nodding 'yes' when the two cylinders sound the same. Would you like to take turns listening to the cylinders with Jacob and help him by shaking them when it is his turn?"

• Suggest that a child select an activity that will include their classmate
  The onset of an activity period or when children are between activities are natural times to suggest that a typically developing child select an activity for mutual participation. Allowing the typically developing child to express his or her preferences for an activity may enhance their sense of involvement and enjoyment of the time spent with a new friend. It may be helpful to make several suggestions for appropriate activities and ask the child to select from those options. (Of course, typically developing children must also learn that their friends with disabilities have preferences and should have opportunities to make choices too!)

• Facilitate meaningful participation in a natural and helpful manner
  While the typically developing child can learn to act as an effective helper and peer tutor for a child with a severe disability, this should not be their only role. Ensuring that both children have an active and necessary part in an activity that both perceive as fun and/or valuable is critical. The role of an adult facilitator is to teach young children ways to assist their friend while also identifying meaningful roles for both (or all) children in the activity. It is critical to initially support sustained interactions between children. This can be accomplished by providing information about the child with a disability and interpreting his or her nonverbal communication so that a typically developing child begins to recognize the behavior of his or her new friend as communicative. This requires that the adult be a careful and responsive observer during all child interactions.