This study aims to contribute with increased knowledge about how teaching and learning environment can be designed to increase the conditions for children with autism to achieve the knowledge requirements for reading comprehension in Swedish grade 3, by examining how some elementary teachers describe that they adapt method and environment for students with autism. Theoretical framework consists of Rogoff's socio-cultural theory that all learning can be analyzed through three different lenses: the cultural, the interpersonal and the individual, which together provide a holistic view of learning. Additional key concepts are scaffolding, mediation, the proximal development zone and appropriation. The study is based on a qualitative approach and the basis for data collection is written questionnaires combined with a focus group. The focus group discussion was recorded and transcribed. Transcription and questionnaire responses were analyzed using a thematic analysis model. The results show that it is required that the teacher has knowledge of autism, and that there are organizational conditions, for students with autism to be able to receive support and adaptations that correspond to the student's needs. Adaptations regarding the learning environment that are highlighted in the results are screens in the classroom, ear protectors, image support, schedules on the bench and at the board, support for time perception, active work with energy regulation, and digital aids. Teaching methods for increased reading comprehension ability that are lifted are to stop when reading and discuss, to think aloud, use image support, create pre-understanding in the student, and to give the student reading comprehension tools. In addition to adaptations in the learning environment and teaching, a need for support in social contexts for students with autism is also raised, and the importance of all adjustments being made in a way that does not have stigmatizing effects. / Denna studie syftar till att bidra med ökad kunskap kring hur undervisning och lärandemiljö kan utformas för att öka förutsättningarna för barn med autism att uppnå kunskapskraven för läsförståelse i svenska årskurs 3, genom att undersöka hur några grundlärare beskriver att de anpassar metod och miljö för elever med autism. Teoretiskt ramverk utgörs av Rogoffs sociokulturella teori om att allt lärande går att analysera genom tre olika linser: den kulturella, den mellanmänskliga och den individuella, som tillsammans ger en helhetssyn på lärande. Ytterligare centrala begrepp är scaffolding, mediering, den proximala utvecklingszonen och appropriering. Studien bygger på kvalitativ ansats och som grund för datainsamling ligger skriftliga enkäter tillsammans med en fokusgrupp. Fokusgruppens diskussion spelades in och transkriberades. Transkribering och enkätsvar analyserades genom en tematisk analysmodell. Resultatet visar att det krävs att läraren har kunskap om autism och att det finns organisatoriska förutsättningar för att elever med autism ska kunna få stöttning och anpassningar som motsvarar elevens behov. Anpassningar gällande lärmiljön som lyfts i resultatet är skärmar i klassrummet, hörselkåpor, bildstöd, scheman på bänken och vid tavlan, stöd för tidsuppfattning, aktivt arbete med energireglering, samt digitala hjälpmedel. Undervisningsmetoder för ökad läsförståelseförmåga som lyfts är att stanna upp vid läsning och diskutera, att tänka högt, använda bildstöd, skapa förförståelse hos eleven, samt att ge eleven läsförståelseverktyg. Utöver anpassningar i lärmiljö och undervisning lyfts även ett stödbehov i sociala sammanhang för elever med autism, samt vikten av att alla anpassningar görs på ett sätt som inte får stigmatiserande effekter.

Bakgrund: Förekomsten av barn med autismspektrumtillstånd (AST) ökar i världen. AST är enneuropsykiatrisk funktionsnedsättning som kan visa sig genom sociala kommunikationssvårigheter och begränsade sociala färdigheter. Forskning visar att barn med AST och deras familjer upplever att vårdmiljön och kommunikationen inte anpassas till diagnosen och barnsjuksköterskor känner enosäkerhet kring hur de ska vårda dessa barn utifrån de svårigheter som diagnosen medför.Syfte: Syftet med studien var att beskriva barnsjuksköterskors erfarenheter av att vårda barn med ASTpå en barnklinik.Metod: En kvalitativ metod med induktiv ansats tillämpades. Datainsamling skedde genom trefokusgruppsintervjuer med totalt 12 deltagare och data bearbetades och analyserades med kvalitativinnehållsanalys på manifest nivå.Resultat: Tre generiska kategorier och sju subkategorier framkom ur resultatet. De generiska kategorierna bestod av betydelsen av att utföra personcentrerad omvårdnad, betydelsen avföräldrarnas roll i omvårdnaden och betydelsen av barnsjuksköterskans professionella kompetens. Barnsjuksköterskorna beskrev behov av ny kunskap och mer utbildning, vikten av att se föräldrarna som de främsta experterna, behovet av hjälpmedel samt miljöns utformning i vården av barn med AST.Slutsats: Denna studie visar att det finns en kunskapsbrist och ett behov av att barnsjuksköterskor fåren utökad kunskap kring barn med AST. Det finns en stor osäkerhet i hur vården ska utformas ochföräldrarna anses vara det bästa stödet i utformningen av vården. / Background: The prevalence of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is increasing worldwide. ASD is a neuropsychiatric disorder that can be characterized by difficulties in socialinteraction and limited social skills. Research shows that children with AST and their families feel thatthe health facility environmentand the communications are not adapted to the diagnosis and nurses feeluncertain about how to care for these children based on the difficulties that the diagnosis entails.Aim: The purpose was to describe paediatric nurses' experience of caring for children with ASD in apediatric clinic.Method: Qualitative content analysis with inductive approach was applied. Data was collected through three focus group interviews with twelve participants and data were processed and analyzed withqualitative content analysis at a manifest level.Results: Presented in three different generic categories and seven subcategories. The importance ofperforming person-centered care, the importance of parents in care and the importance of the pediatricnurses professional competence. The pediatric nurses described the need for new knowledge and moreeducation, the importance of seeing parents as an expert and help to design the environment in the careof children with ASD.Conclusion: This study shows that there is a lack of knowledge and a need for pediatric nurses to gainincreased knowledge about children with ASD. There is a great deal of uncertainty in how care is to bedesigned and parents are considered to be the best support in the design of care.

Although every society member should be offered an equal chance to participate in working life, individuals with high-functioning autism encounter many barriers. Here, assistive technologies using AI and robotics can provide new possibilities to create accessibility and inclusion. This thesis followed the methodology of user-centred design by performing an online survey with 48 autistic professionals to understand their current work experiences and attitudes towards AI- and robotics-based assistive technologies. Based on the survey findings, neurotypical participants from different educational backgrounds ideated in workshops novel technological solutions. The survey results indicate that autistic professionals are open to AI and robotics to overcome, among others, barriers of sensory overload resulting from sounds and many simultaneous social interactions. Thus, the ideas of headphones using personalisation to cancel specific noises and a device summarising conversation content from team meetings for the remotely located professional can be supportive. Finally, the research results can be a starting point for future design ambitions addressing autistic individuals in their work environments.

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[pt] O rastreio dos sinais precoces do Transtorno do Espectro Autista é essencial para o encaminhamento para a intervenção precoce. Diante da escassez de instrumentos com tal finalidade no Brasil, foi desenvolvido o Questionário para Rastreio de Sinais Precoces do Transtorno do Espectro Autista (QR-TEA). Estudo preliminar indicou evidências de validade baseadas no conteúdo. Entendendo a validação de um instrumento como um processo contínuo e ininterrupto, a presente tese teve por objetivo analisar evidências de validade baseadas na estrutura interna e na relação com medidas externas. O resultado apontou plausibilidade da solução fatorial de dois fatores (χ²/gl = 1; RMSEA = 0,00, IC 90% = 0,00-0,06; CFI = 1,03; TLI = 1,03) e também de um fator geral (χ²/gl = 1,49; RMSEA = 0,06, IC 90% = 0,05-0,06; CFI = 0,95; TLI = 0,95). No modelo de dois fatores, a fidedignidade composta foi adequada (acima de 0,70) para ambos fatores e a medida de replicabilidade da estrutura fatorial sugeriu que os dois fatores podem ser replicáveis em estudos futuros (H > 0,80). O alpha de Cronbach obtido (0,80) também indicou que a consistência interna do instrumento é adequada. Os dados obtidos apontam ainda que o QR-TEA apresenta uma correlação forte, positiva e significativa com a CARS (ρ = 0,890; p<0,001), com o M-CHAT (ρ = 0,890; p<0,001) e com a SRS-2 (ρ = 0,874; p<0,001) e com as escalas Comunicação e Interação Social (ρ=0,769; p<0,001) e Padrões Restritos e Repetitivos (ρ=0,751; p<0,001) da SRS-2. Recomenda-se a condução de outros estudos para buscar novas evidências de validade e analisar outras propriedades psicométricas do QR-TEA. / [en] Screening for early signs of Autism Spectrum Disorder is essential for referral to early intervention. Given the lack of instruments for this purpose in Brazil, the Questionnaire for Screening Early Signs of Autism Spectrum Disorder (QR-TEA) was developed. A preliminary study indicated validity evidence based on content. Understanding the validation of an instrument as a continuous and uninterrupted process, this thesis aimed to analyze validity evidence based on internal structure and evidence of validity based on relationships with external measures. The results indicate plausibility of a factorial solution of two factors (χ² / gl = 1; RMSEA = 0.00, 90% CI = 0,00-0,06; CFI = 1.03; TLI = 1.03) and also of a general factor (χ² / gl = 1.49; RMSEA = 0.06, 90% CI = 0.05-0.06; CFI = 0.95; TLI = 0.95). In the two-factor model, the reliability was adequate (above 0.70) for both factors and the measure of replicability of the factor structure suggested that the two factors could be replicable in future studies (H>0.80). The internal consistency of the instrument assessed by Cronbach s alpha was also high (0,80). The results also indicate that QR-TEA has a strong, positive and significant correlation with the instruments CARS (ρ = 0.890; p <0.001), M-CHAT (ρ = 0.890; p <0.001) and SRS- 2 (ρ = 0.874; p <0.001, and also with the SRS-2 scales: Communication and Social Interaction (ρ = 0.769; p <0.001) and Restricted and Repetitive Patterns (ρ = 0.751; p <0.001). Further studies are recommended to seek new verification evidence and analyze other psychometric properties of the QR-TEA.

There are few studies reporting the voices of adolescents with autism, especially concerning their situation in school. Most studies are about children with autism and from the perspectives of their parents or teachers. This study aimed to investigate how adolescents with autism experience the social situation in mainstream upper secondary schools and what success factors and challenges they raise about their social situation. The theoretical framework leans on Aspelin's relational pedagogy and Noddings's ethic of care. The study was conducted using a qualitative method with semistructured interviews with five students. This study intended to contribute to method development about interviewing young people with autism. I used visual support, adapted to the age of the respondent, in the interview.According to the result of this study, the social needs of young students with autism do not look like students without difficulties. In today's schools, there are many opportunities for communication and interaction, which belongs to the difficulties of these students. Students with autism are, according to this study, often alone or in the periphery of the classroom, and they have a smaller contact network and fewer friends than others. The students express that they do not need or want an extensive network of contacts where they interact and communicate; they are satisfied in a small context. However, it is crucial that they have a small context, that they have friendships and that they feel accepted by the class. Without social support and friendship relations, there is a risk of exclusion and bullying. Other challenges are all situations where a social network is needed, and when they need "to make their voices heard", for example, in group work and discussions. Another challenging situation where a social network is needed is the lunch situation. It is vital that there is a teacher in the classroom who meets the students with care, who listens and understands, has basic knowledge of autism and who adapts according to the student's needs and day-to-day shape. Adaptations that are highlighted by the students as successful are the opportunity for individual tasks, to present in smaller groups and the opportunity to withdraw during the day. These adaptations need to be made in dialogue with the student.These findings imply that schools need routines for students with autism. The routines need to ensure that there is always someone in the organization who has an extra responsibility for the social situation of the student because the social situation of these students is complex and vulnerable. Schools need to work at the organizational level to create an allowing atmosphere; teachers need education in autism and understand the importance of careful treatment.

Activities of daily living (ADL) are fundamental to participation in daily life. Even if participation is necessary for person’s well-being and development, individuals with disabilities often are not participating in basic life domains. Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can have an impact on many basic functional areas such as daily living skills. The daily living skills (DLS) contain the ability of children to participate in activities such as personal hygiene, dressing, household chores and money management that are important prerequisites for self-sufficiency and autonomy. The aim of this systematic literature review was to investigate the existence and the outcomes of intervention programs which can enhance daily living skills for children with autism spectrum disorder. A search for peer-reviewed articles evaluating such intervention programs and published between 2010 and 2020 was performed. The search in several databases resulted in eight articles. The findings were grouped based on the kind and the target activity of each intervention program. Most of the identified studies have reported effective outcomes using various intervention programs for the improvement of DLS such as picture prompting, video prompting, video-game training, self-monitoring, behavioural training and therapeutic horseback riding aiming in activities such as hygiene, clothing, cooking and money management.  The International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, version for Children and Youth (ICF-CY) and the Occupational Therapy practice framework were used as a base for the discussion after the analysis. Despite the number of studies found, not enough research has been done to describe and evaluate interventions enhancing the performance in ADL. The findings of this review may serve as a resource for future researchers, who are working with children in need of special support.

Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) has a scarcity of research on autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and available early interventions, as most of what is known about the disorder is from highincome countries. Early detection and intervention methods were found to have positive effects on developmental delays and to alleviate symptom severity in children with ASD or at risk of it. There is a need for scalable interventions in low-resource settings, which are characterised by a lack of highly-trained specialists, infrastructure and funding. This study explored the barriers and facilitators to implementing and sustaining a caregiver-coaching ASD early intervention, informed by the principles of the Early Start Denver Model (ESDM), adapted for South Africa and for delivery by non-specialists. The study also identified some changes that could be made to improve intervention adoption and sustainability. Nine multilevel stakeholders involved in the implementation of the caregiver-coaching intervention were purposively sampled, individual in-depth interviews were conducted, transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed. Major implementation facilitators included: ECD worker baseline ASD knowledge and experience; skills gained from the training received and coaching; clear in-session caregiver-coaching structure; value of strong team relationships; clear video illustration of intervention concepts; and the mastery and generalisation of skills by the ECD workers, ECD supervisors and caregivers. Implementation barriers included: the complexity of the intervention and coaching concepts; misalignment of ECD teacher training with the caregiver-coaching approach; logistical challenges; and mismatch of the video content with the South African context. Facilitators to sustain the intervention included: child outcomes; caregiver ‘buy-in;’ and competence; and the need for ongoing live supervision. Barriers to sustaining the intervention included: structural issues of poverty, transportation and unemployment. Positive child and caregiver outcomes could be offset by larger contextual and system-level issues such as poverty and the need for ongoing support, supervision and local coaching materials in South African languages. The results will inform tailoring of the intervention training and supervision approach for a larger pilot study.

Drawing on theories about and previous research on second language (L2) motivation and   students with special needs, the present study adopts a content analysis approach to examine how L2 English teachers, in Swedish secondary schools, motivate students within Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) to develop their English language. This topic was investigated by interviewing three teachers at different schools with experience of working with ASD students. A semi-structured interview format was used. The findings revealed that the teachers used many different methods in order to motivate their students. They deliberately planned for their students to feel included in the plan for their respective education in English and often connected assignments to individual students’ interests. Further, they praised their students’ positive qualities and tried to work so that the students saw that there was a ‘profit’ from completing each assignment. Furthermore, the investigation revealed that different study materials could be useful for students within ASD. One of the teachers had received advice from The National Agency for Special Needs Education and Schools to apply to the teaching of students in special needs education; she found the suggested advice complex.

The question of which strategies for teaching daily living skills (DLS) are most effective for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) requires increased attention. Special education elementary teachers may not have the instructional strategies necessary to teach DLS to students with ASD. DLS instruction for students with ASD is important because these skills are essential to functioning in school as well as society. The aim of this study was to identify elementary special education teachers' perceptions about their ability to teach DLS to students with ASD. The study's conceptual framework was rooted in a synthesis of ideas from current refereed literature, along with Bandura's social cognitive theory. Purposeful sampling identified 10 participants for individual interviews. Findings indicated 2 themes that emerged from Bandura's (1993) self-efficacy theory: lack of competency to teach DLS and teachers' beliefs about DLS instruction. Thematic and open coding indicated the following themes: lack of time, lack of administrative support in formally addressing DLS deficits, and strategies influencing DLS acquisition. The results indicated that special education elementary teachers did not feel efficacious about their ability to teach DLS to students with ASD and did not feel that they had time and support to provide DLS instruction to students with ASD. This study suggests a need for ongoing, sustainable professional development opportunities for special education teachers related to teaching DLS to students with ASD. Social change implications include improved teacher practice focused on increasing DLS performance for students with ASD so that they will be able to independently perform DLS in various environments, along with increased awareness and comprehension of the value of teacher voice in DLS instructional practices for students with ASD. From ProQuest: https://search.proquest.com/docview/1964903175/.