Observational learning by individuals with autism: A review of teaching strategies

Observational learning is the process used to explain the acquisition of novel behaviors or performance of previously acquired behaviors under novel conditions after observing the behavior of another person and the consequences that follow the behavior. Many learners with autism do not attend to environmental stimuli at a level sufficient to learn a range of prosocial behaviors through observation of others. Modeling, group or dyadic instruction, and explicit observation training can improve the extent to which individuals with autism learn through observation. This article reviews previous research that involved observational learning by individuals with autism and outlines future research that could benefit instructional practices.