ABSTRACT

Background & Aims: Although an increasing number of autistic children have access to inclusive education, little information about how their participation in social interactions and the development of their communicative skills is available. Thus, this study aimed to provide a comprehensive review of observational studies relating to this issue as well as provide a critical analysis of methodological choices made in these studies. Discrepancies related to the way in which data was collected, had implications for the way in which autistic children should be supported and understood in inclusive environments.

Methods: Studies that were observational in nature that described the social interaction of autistic children within inclusive environments were included. Each study was then analysed according to the following variables: aims of observation, coding method, communication partners, description of social engagement, different communication functions and forms, description of interactional contexts and if the study was longitudinal or interindividual in nature.

Results: 17 studies were analysed, the majority of these studies employed video recordings. Emphasis is placed on describing the autistic child’s behaviour within a grid. The study indicated that autistic children usually respond to interaction more than they initiate it. The data obtained provides a description of communicative forms which are non-verbal. Several studies do however code communicative functions. Overall the trajectory for the development of social skills of  autistic children in inclusive environments seem to be closely related to the severity of autism and language skills.

Conclusion & implications: The use of direct observation in the inclusive pre-school setting can yield valuable information. The findings of this study highlight the importance of providing autistic children with opportunities to initiate as well as the value in training neurotypical peers on how to interact with autistic peers. Further studies are needed that describe in detail the functional quality of interactions in autistic children so that appropriate strategies can be implemented.

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