Students with significant cognitive disabilities (SCD) almost always lack independence compared to their same-aged typical peers. To increase the independence of students with SCD, a dissertation project was conducted in the William Henry Middle School (WHMS) Intensive Learning Center - Academic (ILC-A) special education classroom. The purpose of this dissertation project was to determine whether six weeks of direct instruction in the area of social skills would increase the students' abilities within the realm of social skills, therefore increasing their overall independence. A social skills questionnaire was created by the researcher and used to collect pre-and post-assessment data in the realm of social skills, a component of life skills. Before the six weeks of direct social skills instruction, the social skills questionnaire was distributed to the parent(s)/guardian(s) of the ILC-A students. Similarly, the social skills questionnaire was distributed to the WHMS school staff that frequently worked with and/or interacted with the ILC-A students. Following the six weeks of direct social skills instruction in the WHMS ILC-A special education classroom, the same survey completers, both parent(s)/guardian(s) and school staff, were asked to complete the identical social skills questionnaires once more. This information provided a result of the effectiveness of direct instruction of social skills to students with SCD within the WHMS ILC-A special education classroom. Hence, the assurance of a need for social skills instruction for students with SCD, to increase their overall independence in the realm of life skills. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]