The Inclusive Superhero Game: Increasing Inclusive Interactions in Inclusive Education

ABSTRACT The primary purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which teachers could implement the Inclusive Superhero Game (ISG), an intervention derived from the unknown dependent group contingency (DGC), to increase inclusive, helping and positive or general interactions between students with and without special education needs (SEN) across two inclusive education classrooms. Specifically, the focal SEN students across both classrooms had diagnoses of dyslexia and an anxiety disorder. Additionally, this study assessed the effects of the ISG functioning as a classwide behavior management strategy. Lastly, the social validity of the intervention was assessed from the perspectives of both the teachers and the students. A reversal design was employed to compare the effects of the ISG to baseline conditions. The ISG was found to be effective in increasing each interaction type among students and somewhat functioning as a classwide behavior management strategy. Overall, the intervention was found to be socially valid. This is the first study to show that the unknown DGC is effective at increasing inclusive, helping and positive or general interactions between SEN and non‐SEN students in inclusive education classrooms.