Developing functional communication in pupils with ASD at elementary school

Currently, children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are a highly discussed topic. Children with ASD primarily struggle with social interaction, communication, and behavior. In this thesis, we focus specifically on the issue of communication, and how to develop functional communication in children with ASD at the primary school level. The thesis is divided into five chapters. The first chapter covers the characteristics of ASD, its history, classification of ASD forms, and the triad of impairments. The second chapter focuses on social behaviour in pupils, including defining social behavior, social skills, and pupils with ASD in peer groups. The third chapter is titled "Developing communication in students with ASD" and covers the support for communication development, alternative and augmentative communication, and the role of teachers/assistant educators in communication development for pupils with ASD. The fourth chapter delves into the empirical investigation, discussing the objectives, methodology, and process of the empirical study. The fifth chapter includes a case study divided into three sub- chapters, which focus on respondent case studies, interviews, and observations. Additionally, the thesis contains a discussion and recommendations for practice. Keywords: Functional Communication,..