Abstract
Eleven children classified as severely mentally handicapped were observed after a paper and pencil sociometric test given to non‐handicapped children in the school to determine their true level of socialisation with their non‐handicapped peers. the social play interactions were categorised on an adapted version of the Parten Social Participation Scale. It was shown that, by utilising non‐handicapped children in a peer tutor programme, there was a significant increase in associative and cooperative play whilst there was a significant decrease in the level of negative attention‐seeking and inappropriate behaviours.